01) First Saga of the New Gundam Pilot Generation
by Dark Impressionist
Summary: Almost 40 years after the encounter and destruction of Mareimaia, pilots must once again be trained to seek and destroy. (Japanese dialogue sometimes used)
1. DISCLAIMER

•••DISCLAIMER•••  
  
The secondary characters-  
•Heero Yuy  
•Duo Maxwell  
•Trowa Barton  
•Quatre Winner  
•Chang Wufei  
•Zechs Merquise  
•Lucrezia Noin  
•Sally Po  
•Relena Peacecraft  
•Mareimaia  
These characters are copyrighted to Sunrise and Sotsu Agencies and are not of my creation. Any other names/places related to these characters or Gundam Wing are their property.  
  
However, the characters of-  
•Kosen-teki  
•Adea  
•Kyoretsu  
•Shorai  
•Jaide  
•Rhamsey  
•Shaku  
Are of my creation and are COPYRIGHTED to AAN-2000. Any places such as colonies, random soldiers and other names are my property, stealing and/or copying characters' names are prohibited.  
  
PLOT LINE IS ORIGINAL, AND COPYRIGHTED TO AAN. 


	2. (1) Generation Begins (A New Generation,...

The New Generation  
Adea's POV  
*****  
  
I sense a dark aura...mysterious and cold...so unforgiving.... Not caring if tomorrow never came.... I feel it come closer, silently walking across the small room. Its outline is blurred, and yet, it does not move fast. I can't seem to even put a description to the creature, human or not, it has a weapon of sorts in its hand, resembling a gun, and it is coming for me. Before I can blink, it is standing in front of me, weapon at point blank range between my eyes. I try to scream for help, but no words or sound escape my mouth....  
*****  
  
I woke up and gawked at the now familiar surroundings of my fifth period class. I brought my hand up to my face. It was all a dream...I thought.  
  
"Just a dream..." I said aloud.  
  
"Some interesting dream, Miss Adea. I called on you seven times, and not once did you even flinch."  
  
I stood and bowed to Mrs. Sun, "I apologize, ma'am, I promise next time I will pay more attention..."  
  
"Very well, you may take your seat."  
  
As I did, I heard snickers behind me and comments, rude ones. Without knowing it, I turned around and brought my fist above my shoulder, and quickly extended it into a powerful punch, sending my dark green-haired classmate, Jaide, flying into the back wall. I have another vision.  
*****  
  
Again, I stand in the same room, the creature in front of me, and instead of trying to scream, this time, I spin around, causing my waist length dark purple hair to spin around me. I take careful aim and spin kick the creature in the chest. The creature falls back and I catch it by the collar of its space suit like garment and start punching it in the stomach. I notice there is a helmet worn by the creature and I reach to take it off when I notice that I'm standing in front of Jaide, helping him off the ground and apologizing.  
*****  
  
I stood in front of him and continued to say I was sorry. Honestly, I didn't know what had gotten into me. "Really, Jaide, please forgive me...I didn't mean to..."  
  
"Adea..." He looks at me with his silvery blue eyes, which burn through me. "Just don't do that again, ok? As crazy as it might sound, I actually want to make it through this school year without getting killed." His glare softens and he laughs, rubbing his jawbone. He looked at the greenish chalkboard that lined the wall behind us and at the cracks and dent in it.  
  
"You sure are strong. Geez. You might be the next Twentieth Generation OZ leader. You'd be the perfect soldier."  
  
I laugh slightly myself. "The TG OZ organization, more specifically, New Romafellar, won't have me as an ally. I will be their worst enemy."  
  
Mrs. Sun breaks up my conversation and sends me to the office, along with Jaide. He shakes his head in disbelief and walks up the hall with me to the place the rest of the school and us know as the mortal hell. Usually, Jaide and I are pretty good friends, you know, the kind of friends that fight a lot, but would never purposely try to hurt them...I thought about whether or not I should tell Jaide my visions. I do trust him, after all. However, before I can process another thought, he breaks the silence and I laugh to myself. It's amazing the way he can figure out how to stop a person from thinking another thought, and still allows them to finish the previous thought.  
  
"Why did you punch me, anyway? It was just so sudden. Did I do something to anger you??"  
  
"I don't know, exactly...all the sudden, I felt incredible anger and the punch just followed...I am really sorry...I guess I hurt cha that bad, huh? Sent you flying into a wall, that had ta hurt." I smirked.  
  
"Nah, you are still weaker than me." He teased, trying to stifle a laugh.  
  
I yelped and playfully pushed him into the lockers. "You can't even pilot an S2 Leo MS!"  
  
He pulled down his eyelid and stuck his tongue out at me. Before I knew it, we stood in front of the principal's office. We took glances at each other and I softly knocked on the door. As the principal yelled for us to enter, Jaide quickly grabbed my shoulders and pushed me in front of him as a shield. I tried not to laugh and elbowed him in the stomach. He cut the pathetic 'pity me' act and we both walked into the office.  
  
"I have heard you two got into quite a bit of trouble. We cannot have that in this school." A deep dark voice came from behind a high-backed chair.  
  
Jaide spoke softly, "Yes sir. And we apologize."  
  
"Do you realize how hard it is to keep peace in this colony?! With you two fighting, words spread quick and untruthfully. Before we know it, S2 version MOBILE [Manipulatavl Order Build and Industrial Labors Extended] Suits could be sent here to destroy the colony. This is the only school within this colony. Never disrupt the peace like this again. Adea, you must pay for repairs in less than two weeks or else your overall grade drops." The chair spins around, revealing a slightly aged man who sets his elbows on the desk and propped his chin up onto his intertwined fingers, bore a slight resemblance to General Septum. "We don't want one of our top students and possible soldiers to not be able to pass, now do we? I've looked over your mobile suit piloting skills and your academic grades. Quite impressive." With that, he turned back around. "You are dismissed."  
  
When we closed the office door behind us, Jaide and I broke down in laughter. "Who the hell is 'we'? 'We' this and 'we' that! And like some little school squabble is really gonna send 60 foot tall machines to crush the place!" Jaide spoke. As usual, he had the exact same thoughts as me.  
  
Laughing, I shook my head and the bell rang. We said our temporary goodbyes and headed down separate halls to our classes.  
*****  
  
My next class was history. I shuddered and clutched my binder and books to my chest as I weaved my way through the people and was practically knocked into my classroom. Our teacher, Gabby, as she wanted us to call her, was standing in the front of the room, chalk in hand, and that usual cheery grin slapped upon her face. Let me explain Gabby. She is new this year and she hates being called by her full first name, Gabriella, or her common 'teacher title,' as she says, Miss Quen. (pronounced GWEN)  
  
"Welcome back, class!" Her musical voice rang throughout the humid air of late May. "Today, we are going to study history, as you all well know. However, this isn't the boring discovery and boundary planning of the smallest islands. Or the study of the first hairspray container." The snickers traveled around and Gabby smiled again and continued. "We are going to study your family history."  
  
"Aw, maaaaaaaan!" groaned a kid from the back of the class. I didn't bother to turn around to see who it was. "This is even more boring than hairspray, and I hate hairspray!" He complained again. Giggles escaped between the fingers covering the mouths of many of the classmates.  
  
"This will be the final grade I'll give you this year." Gabby went on, and cheers made her smile even more. "And you must get a 85% or higher to pass." Her smile dropped ever so slightly. "I'm sorry, but that is what I've been assigned to tell you."  
  
More moans came from the other students. I, however, was deep in thought. Leaning one elbow on top of the desk and resting my chin in the palm of my hand, I thought about my family history. I didn't know much at all about my family...  
  
"And you must also pick a partner. Anyone from the same grade. Someone you don't know much about, family wise." The teacher cut through my thoughts.  
  
The bell rang and the teenagers scrambled out of the room and headed for their lockers or the next class they had. Jaide and I met up in the hallway and we walked to our lockers, which were right across the hall from one another. I mentioned the project and he agreed to work with me.  
  
"So, it's due in three weeks. We need to trace back as far as we can. We need to list whether or not they were involved in Operation Meteor or any others during that war." Jaide turned his head around and looked at me. I continued, while stuffing my books into my book bag and shoving my book bag into my locker, not really making any eye contact with him. "I don't know much about my family though."  
  
He walked over to me and knelt beside me. "Really? Neither do I. I just know that my grandfather was a very important person in the war."  
  
"I knew that my grandmother was a soldier, but she also believed in pacifism and peace. Besides that, I don't know much else."  
  
"Oh. Then this should be interesting." We stood and he smiled. "Both sides of our family had something to do with the war."  
  
The two of us managed our way through the hundreds of people crammed in the hallway to the lunchroom. Lunch was our last period. We were the lucky ones. Last lunch shift, cold food, and narrow selection. Life was excellent, as Jaide had said when we both reviewed our schedules for the first time together.  
*****  
  
We arrived the next day and walked into the library to gather any history books that might have been helpful. Jaide and I checked out about ten books. We sat down at the table and started flipping through pages and taking notes.  
  
"Ah hah! Here, Adea, look!" I scoot my chair over to his and read over his shoulder. He reads, "In the year After Colony 195, the Earth and colonies struggle for peace. Operation Meteor: five Gundam pilots are sent to Earth. Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, Trowa Barton, Quatre Raberba Winner, and Chang Wufei. Relena Peacecraft and her older brother, Milliardo Peacecraft (Zechs Merquise) otherwise known as the Lightning Count would later hold important positions in Operation Meteor. Lucrezia Noin, guardian of Relena, wife of Milliardo. Heero Yuy, husband to Relena. Duo Maxwell, wed to Hilde Schbeiker Maxwell."  
  
I showed him a document off of the computer that I hacked into and read aloud: "In the news today, two grandchildren of fighters in Operation Meteor, are being sent to a preschool in Colony L113 section 2 dash 9 on level 5. These two children, who are 3 and 5 years old, are going to be full-year schooled along with four others on different colonies. These six children will be tested and trained due to beliefs of extraordinary abilities. One is believed to be granddaughter of Duo and Hilde Maxwell, while the other is said to be Milliardo and Lucrezia Peacecraft's grandson. Nothing is known of their parents or the whereabouts of any of the relatives. Nothing else is known about the other four children. All of these children will be treated like normal students and will have a normal life until New Romafellar, or TG OZ threatens to start a new war. Then these six destined children will don the age of a new era and fight once more to bring peace.  
  
"Second section says- 'In seven days their destinies will be revealed and these children, now ages 16-19, will see their mobile suits for the first time.'"  
  
Jaide looked at me and I typed a few more things into a computer next to me and a new document blinked across the screen in a maze of numbers and letters, seemingly picked at random and scrolled across. Suddenly, that little bit stopped and a large piece of writing perked up onto the screen in front of us. We both read, but silently.  
  
~~As of this time, the leaders of Shadowed Sun are calling to the six of destiny. Years ago, these scientists and other important officials lost contact to these special beings. One of the scientists, the most intelligent of the seventy, has been relaying cerebral messages to those of destiny. These images cause irrational behavior at times and should cause the person to dream and think of war. At date, these students will gather at the headquarters of the Neo-Operation with the other members for extensive three week training to help these destined few realize their ability.~~  
*****  
  
I awoke the next morning, early, and from a horrible dream. In it, I was fighting a terrible enemy. One that had no face, nor a name. I swiped the back of my hand across my forehead and felt the cold sweat beaded there. I untangled myself from the sheets and opened the blinds covering my room in a comfortable darkness. I yawn and yanked open the blinds, then fight sleep off as I get ready for another day of school.  
  
Stumbling down the stairs with wobbly legs, I go into the kitchen and get a glass of water and guzzle it down just in time for the phone to ring. I groan and almost drag myself toward the phone and pick it up. "'Ello? *yawn* Adea speaking..." The words mumble themselves out of my mouth and I run my fingers through my mess of waist-length hair.  
  
"Yo! HOW YA DOIN, GIRL?! SOUND'S LIKE YOU'RE STILL SLEEPING!!!!" I then hear muffled giggles and know who it is. The only morning person that I didn't really want to kill if they woke me up. Jaide. His cheery, loud, purposely annoying voice, loud, happy...have I mentioned loud? "HEY'YA, ADEA!!! WAKIES!"  
  
"Shut up..." I mumble and yawn again, stretching both hands over my head, with the phone in one of them. Despite that, I can still hear him, clear as day.  
  
"YO!!! WAZZUP?!?! Ya, know? No, ya don't or else you would have slept in."  
  
The thought of sleeping in caught my attention and I brought the phone back down to my ear. "Sleeping...in? What for?"  
  
"No school. In-service." His voice practically bounced around in my head with his overwhelming joy.  
  
"Hmmn...? So sudden??" My ears perked up and something alerted my senses to unusual curiosity. Something didn't seem right and the mystery made me wake up fully. "So, there's in-service? Hm. In that case, I'm going for a bike ride. Care to come?"  
  
On the other end of the line, I heard some muffled comments about me always having something to do. "Where to and how long? I don't want to work too much on my day off." I could hear quite a bit of sarcasm, so I followed with a dose of my own, indirect, dark, sort of serious sarcasm. I felt like being a bit of an annoyance to him that day. It's so fun to annoy him to where he wants to hit you, but you know he wouldn't because he knew that he'd get whooped for doing so. He's such a good friend, you know? "I dunno, lazy. Wherever my mind decides to take me. And it could last for hours or so." I grinned when I heard a long, exasperated sigh, followed by a low moan of disagreement. "Well? Whadd'ya say? You up to the challenge? I bet you that I could easily last longer than you."  
  
At the mention of a challenge and a bet, I knew I caught his attention. "Where and when, girl? You're so pathetic I shouldn't even accept this mere challenge."  
  
"I'll make you eat those words. Anyway, meet me at the Level 4 section in front of the high school racing track, we'll probably bike for twelve sections before heading to another level. Deal??"  
  
"Deal." We both hung up and prepared for a race of our lives, but little did we know of the latter.  
*****  
  
I lifted up my new Titanium Alloy bike and looked at it. This bicycle was made out of the same material the custom Gundams were built out of. The factories found out a way to recycle this alloy and now it's used in many different materials, like cars and bikes.  
  
I carried it on the back of my shoulders outside to look it over and spray it down with water. The reason I sprayed it with water is that when I ride, it acts as an air conditioner because the water droplets fly off the spokes and hit me, thus cooling me off. Aren't I just genius? I know you're thinking, "Well, the spokes would dry sooner or later," but I am always a step ahead of the game. I have a compressible water bottle that can fit in a pocket, but holds a gallon or so of water. Ah, technology, it's wonderful and don't ask how unless you want to be barraged by confusing info.  
  
Anyway, I sprayed down the bike and wiped off the seat with a towel, and stood back to admire my work. The bicycle stood leaning on its kickstand, glimmering and shining in the morning sunlight. It was a standard racing bike with curved down handles and narrow tires. Its skinny, yet sturdy frame was painted in a magnificent swirl of greens, ranging from a dark forest green to a neon green. I hopped on and wedged my hands comfortably onto the handlebars and start off at an even pace.  
*****  
  
"Yo! Adea!! Wait UP!"  
  
I laugh and pedal faster, leaving him a few bikes' lengths behind. "You're too lazy and out of shape! You gotta keep up!!" I hear a 'Hmph' and a few pants and then I see him out of the corner of my eye again. "Welcome back." His bike is a midnight black with silver accents, also built like mine is.  
  
He smiles falsely and wipes the sweat dripping off his forehead with the back of his wrist. Complaining in a child's voice, he whines: "How much longer??? This is getting boring!" His mouth hangs open and I could easily tell he was tired.  
  
"I swear, Jaide. Maybe those blonde highlights sent the dye to your head. Lighten up! It's a beautiful day! And there's no school so you can be a couch potato the rest of the day!!"  
  
"You're so sweet."  
  
"I know." Grinning, I pedal faster.  
  
I finally stop and allow him to catch up. He pedals up next to me and we both look at our surroundings; him bending over with sweat dripping off the tip of his nose, and me just sitting on the seat looking at our surroundings.  
  
"Wh-where are we....?? Geez, and where'd you take us? I thought I could trust you! Now we're lost." Jaide fired off the questions, panting furiously. My slight smile turns into a frown when I look around. "I have no clue...." I say as I crane my neck up to try to see the top of a tall bleak gray building that looks somewhat half-finished.  
  
The building in front of us looms over us in a bland shadow. No windows adorn the building and it seems as though there's only one entrance, meaning one possible exit. We both hopped off our bikes and hid them in some nearby bushes and walked toward the entrance.  
  
"Should we even be going near this crapped up place???"  
  
"I say we check it out," I turn back toward Jaide who's now stopped and I hold my hand out to him. "Come on, I know. I sense a strange feeling from this place too, but something else is telling me to go in. Coming??" He takes my hand and we creep towards the building, unaware of the impending future we were about to encounter.  
*****  
  
Approaching the building, I had a sudden sense of fear and I gripped Jaide's hand tightly in mine. "God, this is starting to freak me out."  
  
"What? The fact that you're *getting* scared or that you finally realized that we're walking to our possible deaths here????" He spoke with a hint of laughter in his voice. I pulled my hand away and swatted at him, then crossed my arms across my chest. "No, it's nothing like that. It's all in your head."  
  
Before he could say another thing, we had reached the door and were quickly ushered in by someone dressed in all black. "Welcome to sector 14, someone will be here shortly to take you to your living quarters. Please take a seat and wait patiently." The man said and quickly rushed away before we could ask any more questions. We did as he said and took a seat in the direction he motioned toward.  
  
I moaned and whispered to Jaide as we walked in. "I wasn't ready!!"  
  
Once again, we observed our surroundings. The room was chilly and then I noticed a huge ventilation fan near the ceiling of the room. The room we were in was huge. It was a perfect square of about forty-five feet and I'd have to say the room was about thirty-five feet high and was definitely poorly decorated. The same blahish gray color was everywhere. Except for the bench we sat on, there was only one other bench and a door at the opposite end of the room. Jaide must have been able to see the gears turning in my head because he nudged me in the ribs with his elbow. "You're lip is bleeding." He said quietly. I reached up and touched the corner of my mouth, indeed it was. I have a nasty habit of chewing at the inside of my lip when I'm nervous and I didn't even notice that it had started to bleed.  
  
I wipe the blood off with the sleeve of my t-shirt and sigh, leaning back and folding my hands behind my head. "What is this place." I spoke, more of a demand than a question.  
  
"The Neo-Operation Headquarters." A voice came from the shadows and we turned to its direction. A figure stepped out with crossed arms, head down. Three figures followed behind the first. "Are you the other two? Took you long enough to get here." The leader said, voice grim.  
  
I stood, and Jaide did as well and I said what was on both of our minds. "Who are you?"  
  
"We should ask you the same, but we really don't care." Another one spoke up. The feminine voice annoyed me. Too conceited.  
  
They stepped further out of the shadows and I could see them. The leader had jet-black hair that was spiked up a few inches and swept back; his eyes were solid black, but I thought I could see a hint of red in them. He was wearing a red tank top with a black t-shirt underneath and a logo on the left sleeve and dark black pants that hung baggy over his thin figure. The girl had red hair that hung to her shoulders and was pinned back by small check-mark clips and her eyes were a pinkish purple. She, as well as the others was wearing the same outfit. Another guy had muscular arms, but they were shoved into his pants pockets and he was looking down at the floor. He had dark blue hair that was cut short in back, but his bangs hung in his eyes carelessly. He glanced up and I saw that they were a magnificent golden bronze, but then he returned to watching his shoelaces. The last one was another girl. This one had green hair that started dark at the roots and turned paler toward the tips. Her eyes were a bright, almost neon green that shone with happiness. The leader stepped toward us again and gave one, low, deep command. "Follow me."  
  
We followed the four, who stayed in that order, Jaide walking to the right of me and the other girl in front of me. The one with the blue hair followed to the far side, his hands still stuffed into his pockets. He looked up at me and I realized I was staring, but he only smiled shyly and returned his gaze to the dark marbled flooring. We were led past something that seemed like an arcade game set up with a chair and controls and a helmet connected by a bunch of wires; then led down a hallway with doors aligning the sides with labels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The leader pointed to the doors marked '5' and '6'. "Those are yours. Whichever you two decide on."  
  
Jaide spoke up for the first time since we arrived. "I'll take five....I guess...." His words weren't much, I could tell he was nervous. I pointed to the number six and nodded, signaling that the room was mine.  
  
"Now will you tell me who you are?" I asked again, arms crossed in front of my chest, in a more demanding tone. The one with the blue hair looked up, and started to speak, but the redhead held up a hand, signaling him to stop.  
  
"You'll know when the time comes." A smirk crossed her face. "Until then, you can just stop asking that damn question."  
  
I glared at her. "I only asked twice and if you ask me, you're getting a little too smart for yourself, and trust me," I looked toward the others, although not quite glaring at the blue hair and green hair because they hadn't gotten me upset yet. "You don't want to make me angry." I finished almost lamely due to my lack of word choice at the time.  
  
"*You* are the one who's starting to speak too much, girly." The named flamed anger inside me, but she continued. "My friend here is the one with the authority. Double-cross him and pay."  
  
Jaide noticed that my hands had balled up into fists and he put an arm around my shoulders comfortingly and whispered into my ear, "Just ignore her, okay? I know you could easily kick her ass, but think of it this way: she's self-conscious, most likely and the only way she can feel better about herself is by picking on someone else. So please stay calm??" I nod and he slips his arm from my shoulders and crosses it with the other one in front of his chest.  
  
Suddenly a bell in the hallway dings once. "Meeting. Follow us." The leader spoke harshly and walked briskly in front of all of us. The guy with the blue hair walked alongside me to the right and Jaide walked to the left. The guy smiled and spoke in a very quiet, but deep tone. "My name is Kyoretsu. Don't mind me, I don't really want to be here either. Who are you?" He barely managed to squeeze the last word out when the redhead turned around.  
  
"SHUT UP! Your annoying voice is really getting on my nerves!!! Why can't you ever keep your mouth shut?!" She yelled and turned back around and resumed walking. I almost giggled when I saw Kyoretsu pulled down his eyelid and stuck his tongue out.  
  
I leaned toward him and cupped my hand to filter out any sounds that might reach the others' ears. "I'm Adea. I'd like to know what's going on here. Got any clue?"  
  
I was cut off by a sudden sharp slap across the side of my face. I looked up to see a man dressed in a military uniform and when I looked around we were in a conference room with a long table and many empty chairs around it, there were about five people sitting at the long side. The man ordered us to stand along the far wall away from the officials. The man clasped his hands behind him and paced around in front of us. I guess he was trying to make a good impression on the officials, because as of then, they all had their elbows propped up on the table and their eyes glared from above their hands.  
  
The man stopped in front of me again and my face felt another sting of a slap. "I don't want any word from you!!" He waved his hand at the others against the wall. "Or any of you!! Let this be a warning to you!" He punched me in the stomach, hard. Jaide and Kyoretsu started to step forward, but I shook my head slightly and they retreated their steps only to be slapped across the face by the general. I set my jaw and glared into the opposite wall so hard I thought I might burn a hole through the drywall and steel. The man continued to speak, only toward the officials this time. "These children, excuse me, young adults...These young adults are the selected few that will lead this United Earth Sphere Nation! We here at the Neo-Operation headquarters will put these of destiny through an extensive three week training procedure. Whereas, some may not be able to survive the training, I will now ask you what I shall do with those few."  
  
An official stood. This man had somewhat long bangs that hung in front of his left eye. He was wearing a general's uniform that had many badges; one of them I noticed was an award for fighting in Operation Meteor as the pilot of Heavyarms Gundam. He spoke in a monotone voice and his eyes moved to every one of us. "Those who do not complete these tests to passing or due to lack of ability shall have their life. However, they should leave without a memory of it. We cannot risk having any information of this seep through to the New Romafellar." He sat and nodded, signaling he was finished speaking.  
  
The general nodded back and paced back in front of us. He stopped in front of the redhead. "Shaku," Then walked to the one I called leader. "Kosen-teki," To the green haired girl. "Shorai," To the blue haired young man. "Kyoretsu," Then to me. "Adea," And finally Jaide. "Jaide, you six have been selected to be trained as mobile suit pilots and defenders of the Earth and the colonies. These six will go through an extensive three-week period of physical, skill, and mental training. Whomever does not make it, like Lieutenant Barton said would have their memory erased so as not to let any of this escape until the right time comes. Any objections?"  
  
A younger man than Lieutenant Barton stood. His blonde hair was swept back with his thumb to clear it from his blue eyes, which showed concern. "Are any of these tests possibly fatal?"  
  
The general nodded. "Of course, Lieutenant Winner! With any mobile suit training there is a possibility for death!"  
  
"In which case, what will happen?"  
  
"Lieutenant Winner! They will be dead! What else should we do?! I hope you don't expect a funeral! These are soldiers here!"  
  
Lieutenant Winner sat down, his brow furrowed slightly with upset. I saw that he also had many badges and was a soldier in Operation Meteor. The pilot of the Sandrock Gundam. I stood straighter and saluted, hoping that I would be able to state my question. Unfortunately, the general took one look at me and turned away, and continued to speak.  
  
We were dismissed and we all walked to the lunchroom. Jaide and I picked out our items and bought them, then sat down at a table. I uncapped my bottle of water and sipped at it slowly, skeptically watching him down his food mouthful after mouthful. He suddenly looked up with soupy rice dribbling down his chin and smiled in an awkward way so as not to allow any food to drop out of his mouth. I smiled back, but continued to lift the bottle of water to my mouth and drink. He wiped his face clean with a napkin and looked back up at me. "So."  
  
I set the water down and looked at him. "So."  
  
Kyoretsu plopped down into the seat diagonally across from me and a few seats to the side of Jaide. "So," He then asked the question that was probably on all of our minds. "you ready for this?"  
  
"I dunno, Kyo, I think this is bogus." Shorai said calmly and she sat down next to me, smiling a greeting.  
  
I took another drink of water before I said anything else. "What's with Shaku, she annoys the hell out of me..." I kept my voice low as I watched her glare at me, then sit down at a far table with her back to us. "And Kosen-teki?? He seems a little too distant...." I watched him sit at a table closer to us, and to the side.  
  
Kyoretsu spoke next. "As for Shaku, I can't stand her. Kosen-teki, I'm not too sure about him. We, meaning Shorai and Shaku and I, came here after him and he showed us around, gave us our uniforms and told us to wait for the others. I arrived shortly after Shaku and Shorai, but the three of us went as a group."  
  
"Shaku does annoy me, but she's one of my cousins, so I have to tolerate her to some extent."  
  
Jaide looked up at me, then to everyone else present in the lunchroom. "Why are we here...? I know we were 'destined', but what made us so? In other words, why us?"  
  
There was a silence, but I noticed Kosen-teki had stopped his fork-full of salad in mid-air and just sat there; then he stood, bringing his food and sat down on the other side of me. Speaking in a very shallow voice he said, "We were picked because as young children we showed signs of having extra-ordinary abilities. We were torn away from our families to be sent to space to be trained like dogs to have a sub-conscious of a warrior. But we were also taught to have a normal life. Until we must be called back into battle, that is." His tone became grave; and I thought I had started to understand him.  
  
"Who are you?" The question was simple, but it seemed to be indifferent to him. Jaide seemed to draw back at the expression of nothingness on Kosen-teki's face.  
  
"I am the son of Odin Peacecraft-Yuy. And this is my home...."  
*****  
  
Continued in Part Two- Tests of Strength, Courage, and Faith  



	3. (2) The Tests Begin (Tests of Strength, ...

Tests of Strength, Courage, and Faith  
Adea's POV  
*****  
  
Silence overtook the table for a brief moment until Kosen-teki spoke again.  
  
"I know why the scientists chose you other five. Each of you possesses a special ability to sense others' thoughts with your minds. Then you might also have an additional ability. It may sound strange at first, but it will seems more natural as you get used to the idea of being different. Some of your powers are stronger than the others'. These idiots here believe that through using the Neo-ZERO system, or the Neo-Zoning and Emotional Range Omitting system, they'll be able to utilize this power and enhance it to turn all of you into soldiers of the colonies." He looked up at all of us. "Some of you might not make it through the testing. It's very dangerous. Maybe you all will make it, maybe not. One may not pass, or two....or three. Hell, all of us could die. What I need to say is this: I know a way for you to escape with your lives and your memory if you don't want to do this." He looked at us one more time, stood and left.  
  
We exchanged glances and then continued our talk as if the episode a few moments ago never happened. "So you think the Neo-ZERO system is that arcade game thing in the hallway to our rooms??" Kyoretsu questioned, stirring the ice cubes in his glass with his straw, then taking a sip and returning to stirring.  
  
"I dunno, Kyo., probably is. It doesn't look like any arcade game I've seen lately, though." Jaide added thoughtfully, "Maybe it's some high-tech antique!"  
  
He smiled and I whacked him upside the head playfully. "No wonder!!! Instead of getting exercise, you are at the arcade the whole time!"  
  
Shorai smiled and nodded. "Yeah, arcade game. I bet. Ya know, I bet I could beat you at *any* arcade game ever invented!!!"  
  
"Here, try this game." A small portable game appeared out of nowhere in Kyoretsu's hand and he just smiled as he handed Shorai the game. "Teleportation of inanimate objects is a special technique of mine."  
  
Shorai simply applauded once, grabbed the game and started playing. Jaide moved to the other side of her and watched over her shoulder to make sure she didn't cheat. I, on the other hand, shook my head, guzzled down the rest of my water, shot it into the nearest waste can and chatted with Kyoretsu, who moved and sat down in the empty seat to my right.  
  
"They're like children." Kyoretsu commented, a smile tugging at his mouth.  
  
"Yep. Hey, why did you look so...so...distant when we came?" I questioned, propping my chin up into the palm of my hand as I indirectly watched the 'Battle of the Arcade Masters'.  
  
"I don't say anything when I don't have anything to say. Plus I really didn't want to be there with them at that time. Shorai is pretty cool, but the other two freaked me out. Kosen-teki never talked. Ever. And Shaku...well...no reason needed."  
  
"NNOOOOOOO!!!!" Kyoretsu and I both looked up at the person screaming. Jaide. "No! CHEATER!!! THIS...IS...*IMPOSSIBLE*!!! No one could beat me!!! NO ONE! I am the *best*! Give that here! I'm gonna keep my record and *beat* yours!"  
  
The other three of us laughed as Jaide franticly punched at the game with his thumbs.  
  
"I know there are certain reasons for all six of us to be here, with special abilities and all, but why is Jaide here? Is it a mistake that he came?"  
  
"I don't know for sure, but with what the general said...I'm guessing Jaide has the ability to read minds." I told him about the principal's office incident that was almost two weeks ago.  
  
His brow furrowed in concentration when I stopped, but then I added my guess again. "I think he may have psychic abilities. It's the only way I can explain how he does that."  
  
"You're probably right. But how would that explain the hair?" He joked.  
  
I grinned and shook my head.  
  
Before I could say anything else, I noticed a man in a uniform walking toward us with a kind of conceited air about him. "Today you will rest and tomorrow your training will begin at five AM sharp. Anyone late will receive two hours extra training for every five minutes late. Understand?"  
  
"What if we're sick?" I turned to see who was speaking and I didn't notice that Shaku had walked over. She stood there with her arms crossed and a smug look on her face.  
  
The man neglected to respect that question with an answer and he turned around and told us to follow him.  
  
We did as he said and when we reached our hallway, we were instructed to stand in front of the door to our room.  
  
The general waltzed in as if he knew everything. I was starting to dislike him. He handed us our uniforms and instructed us to stand at attention. Picky, picky! Someone said and I cast a side-long glance to my right, then to my left and in front to see who it was. Kosen-teki had a small grin on his face as he mocked the general. Something crawled up my ass and died!!! Do you understand?! Now shut up or I'll let out gas!! Stand straight! I don't want to see a slouch. That's pathetic! You can't stand, you might as well be a pile of gloppy-goop!! His telepathy was directed to just us other five, I could tell because, like me, the others were having a hard time standing still because they practically vibrated with laughter. I'm the master of moose! Cheese Whiz reigns above all! Insult provolone and drop down and give me 300!!!  
  
The general stopped and so did Kosen-teki. He walked over to Kyoretsu and asked him what was there to smile about. Kyoretsu stopped smiling abruptly and said that it was nothing in the strangest most monotone voice that I have ever heard. In addition, he finished with a salute and a loud "SIR" that almost set off all the laughter in the rest of us, even Shaku. Boy, did he look like an idiot, I thought as I smiled inwardly. I knew he's mocking the general as well. However, as foolish as the general was, he didn't even notice. He just looked at Kyoretsu blankly, then left.  
*****  
  
We were given time to "mingle" and get to know the others and our way around and that our training would start tomorrow at 5 AM sharp, blah blah blah. So basically, Jaide and I look at each other's rooms and there's not much difference. It's a decent sized room with one bed, one window, one door, one closet, one nightstand, and one desk. The usual. The only difference is in the closet, ours are both filled from end to end and from top to bottom with uniforms, boots, gloves and....guns? Yeah, major artillery. Like I was saying, the only difference is the shoe-size and the uniform size. Of course, we put our uniforms on and actually, they're pretty comfortable.  
  
Jaide and I walk out and meet up with Kyoretsu and Shorai.  
  
"Adea, turn around." Shorai laughed as I over-imitated a model and spun around into Kosen-teki. The guy caught me before I tripped and fell, and I thanked him. However, this black haired guy just looked at me, turned around, walked into his room with 1 marked on the door, and closed it shut.  
  
Shorai spoke after somewhat of a lengthy silence. "Just like his grandfather." Kyoretsu nodded. "Yeah. The resemblance is almost amazing."  
  
"Whadd'ya mean?" Jaide questioned, spiking his short hair and looking to every one of us.  
  
Shorai continued. "He just acts like nothing can get to him. Self-built prison walls. He's kinda cute though." She smiled at me and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "What do you people want to do now?"  
  
"We could always charge back over to the food court!!!" Jaide chirped cheerfully.  
  
"YEAH!" Kyoretsu cheered. Shorai and I looked to each other and shook our heads.  
  
"Food, food, food. That's all you guys think about??" I asked, crossing my arms and standing next to Shorai, who also had her arms crossed and smirking like me. We probably looked like sisters to them because they stopped cheering and looked at us with blank expressions and sweatdrops falling down the back of their heads.  
*****  
  
Unfortunately, Shorai and I were dragged back to the food court. The two gorged themselves just in time for dinner, when everyone else came out of their hiding places, including Lieutenant Barton and Winner. As usual, two or more people gravitated to sit at a separate table. This time I left Kyoretsu, Shorai, and Jaide and sat with the two Lieutenants. Mr. Winner was nice and smiled at me before returning to a conversation with Mr. Barton. They politely finished and turned to talk to me.  
  
"You're Adea, right?" Mr. Winner questioned with a kind smile and in a soft tone.  
  
I nodded. "Yes sir."  
  
Mr. Winner smiled again. "You can call me Quatre. And this-" He motioned to Mr. Barton. "-is Trowa."  
  
I beamed with pride. I was talking to Quatre and Trowa! Two original Gundam Pilots! "I'm sort of surprised to see the two of you here. May I ask why?"  
  
Trowa spoke this time. "Of course. The others would have come, meaning Heero Yuy, Duo Maxwell, and Chang Wufei, but for some reason they weren't able to come. We came because two of you are descendants of one of the pilots."  
  
"Well I know Kosen-teki said he was one....oh, who was he??" I place my chin in my hands and stare hard at the table, trying to remember who Kosen-teki said he was. "Peacecraft-Yuy, I think."  
  
The two exchange a glance, then start laughing. Quatre looked at me with sparkling eyes. "Sorry. See, we thought that Heero would never finally admit to Relena Peacecraft how he felt about her, let alone have a child!" He let out another musical-sounding chuckle. "Do you know the other one??"  
  
"I think she does. Very well as a matter of fact." Trowa spoke monotone, but with a tiny hint of mischief in his voice.  
  
My eyes widened and I laughed. "JAIDE! I knew he had some use! I knew it-"  
  
I was cut short by a simple wave of Trowa's hand. "Nope. Not him."  
  
Quatre laughed. "Try again."  
  
"Ok, then. Shorai??"  
  
Another no.  
  
"Hmn. Kyoretsu."  
  
No.  
  
"It is Jaide, it has to be!"  
  
"No, Adea. It's you." Kosen-teki walked up behind me and sat down next to me.  
  
I was dumbfounded. Me? No way, this had to be a mistake. It's Jaide. He's the only one we can't explain why he's here. Shaku has near super-speed, Shorai has telepathy and the ability to read minds when she wants to, Kosen-teki has Heero Yuy's blood and telepathy, I have intelligence and power, Kyoretsu has strength, but Jaide?? "No way. I think you've made a mistake."  
  
Just then, Kosen-teki threw a manila folder in front of me. "Take a look for yourself. Miss Adea Schbeiker-Maxwell."  
  
"Schbeiker-Maxwell???" Quatre looked almost as surprised as I was. "To think!" He laughed again. "Our buddy Duo, that always happy-go-lucky God of Death is related to Adea, the solemn academic fighter. Yes, we have reviewed your school records and they tower unimaginably. And like everyone else here, you excel in mobile suit piloting."  
  
That still didn't explain Jaide though.  
  
"How did you find this, Kosen-teki?" I asked turning to look at him.  
  
He snorted. "I didn't trust any of you when I heard the news that five more people were going to be trained, other than myself, in mobile suits. Therefore, I did research. I found out you were Maxwell's granddaughter and your friend was Milliardo Peacecraft's grandson."  
  
"So you two are related?" Trowa finally said after a stunned silence due to his subtleness and due to the words he spoke.  
  
Kosen-teki nodded briskly and stood, walking away.  
  
"Sometimes I can't stand him. He always acts like a superior." I growled, trying to keep my calm composure.  
  
"Have some understanding. He lived here his whole life." Trowa spoke, choosing his words carefully. Then he stood and also left.  
  
Quatre looked to me with a slight frown. "One of you might not pass. The mobile test suit results are giving different endurance readings for two of you, and we're thinking that in one of the tests, one of you might not survive. That's why Trowa, Kosen-teki and I are tense. We know, but we don't know who." He looked up to the ceiling and breathed a long sigh. "I thought the wars were over for good. I can't stand the thought of so many people losing their lives." The man stood and returned with blue eyes to meet mine. "I know you'll pass, being related to Duo, there's no way you won't."  
  
"I can only hope." I said glumly.  
  
He nodded then moved away from the table and disappeared though a door.  
  
Yawning, I looked at my watch to count down the hours to torture. Eight. That's how many hours of sleep I should get, and knowing that tomorrow isn't going to be very fun, I probably won't sleep much at all. Just then, Kosen-teki sat back down beside me, staring straight ahead into a wall.  
  
Breaking the silence, I questioned almost timidly: "Who is going to die?"  
*****  
  
Four hours to torture. I sit down on my still-made cot-like bed and draw my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them. As I thought, I couldn't sleep. I had been pacing around in my room four about two hours and now sleep started to creep up on me. The day ran through my head in a blur until it reached the time around dinner, then it went in slow motion. Every detail was almost magnified by twenty, and once again, sleep began to evade me. I stood and started pacing, listening to my shoes against the carpet. A knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts.  
  
"Enter." I chimed a little too cheerfully for how I felt.  
  
Kosen-teki peeked his head in, looking tired and angry. "Go to bed and get some sleep. I can't sleep when I hear others thoughts. You're so loud when you think that it practically screams into my head and I can't sleep!"  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm not used to this, you know. I'm used to having a normal life! I'm not used to thinking that I might die within the next few weeks, OKAY?!" I looked at him, then turned around, walked back to my bed and sat on it; I set my elbows on my knees and buried my face in my hands. "This is not easy for me."  
  
I heard an exasperated sigh. "Would you like to trade places with me?!?! Well?! Would you like to have known nothing about your family except what you read as if your life and history were a textbook?!"  
  
Stunned, I looked back up at him. "N-no...I guess not...."  
  
All he did was glare and start to raise his voice. "You don't know me! You don't know how hard it is to live in a place like this!!! DO YOU?!?! No you don't!!!"  
  
Angered by his words, I stood, clenching my hands into fists at my sides. "Listen, buddy!!! I nor anyone else here knows their family!!! We've tried to live normal lives with FOSTER parents!!! We were raised thinking they were our parents!!! THEN we are sent off to a yearlong school!!! This, this thing we call life..." I shook my head. "IT'S NOTHING BUT AN ILLUSION FOR ALL OF US!!!!"  
  
My and Kosen-teki's yelling woke Shaku and Kyoretsu up, because within a few seconds, they were also standing in my doorway.  
  
Shaku sauntered in and walked right up to me. "SHUT UP! I'm sick and tired of you thinking you are a goddess! You are nothing in this world." Her words were bitter and just made me angrier. I raised a hand and slapped her across the face, leaving her stunned and wordless.  
  
"Nor are you a goddess. You are just like me, Shaku. At least I attempt to honor you by speaking your name. I have tried to keep my calm, but there comes a time when every thread of patience will snap. In addition, you have bothered me at the wrong time. I really do not wish to strike someone, I am a strong pacifist." My words were cut short when she punched me in the jaw. I remained standing in my same position, unmoving, and locked onto her eyes, emotionless. I still wouldn't move nor would I speak, I only held her glare and met it equally. Suddenly, a wry grin spread across my face. Kyoretsu then stepped between us, holding a hand out at both of us and looking to us with an upset gaze.  
  
"I won't allow fighting. Not between comrades. We all need to get our rest. In a few hours, we'll need to gather everything we have to pass. This will be the most difficult part in our lives. These tests of strength, courage, and faith will determine our future."  
  
To my surprise, Shaku growled and stomped out. Kosen-teki looked at me with anger in his eyes, then left as well.  
  
Kyoretsu looked at me and smiled. "God blessed you, Adea. Good luck on the Neo-ZERO testing tomorrow." With that, he left.  
  
What was that supposed to mean? I thought little more before I fell back into my crappy cot-like bed and was fast asleep, neglecting to notice that there were only three hours of sleep that I could gather before the testing began.  
*****  
  
"YAAHHHH!" I woke up, yelling and clamping my hands over my ears tightly before shooting up in my cot and glancing around. I looked up over my door and noticed a red light flashing and a siren wailing. "Talk about a rude wake-up call..." Grumbling, I stumbled out of bed and walked over to my closet, throwing the doors to the side. At least I wouldn't have to worry about what to wear. Throwing on a new uniform, I picked up a comb and started combing through the unruly knots in my long hair. After struggling with the mess of hair, I looked at my watch and noticed that it was two minutes 'till 5 o'clock. I hurriedly pulled my hair up into a ponytail that still cascaded down to my waist and ran out my door.  
  
I ran right into Shorai who stumbled a bit before she started laughing when she saw my expression. Here's why: her outfit looked normal, but *her* hair was what caught my attention. It reached her ankles, even after being pulled up in a sporty fashion, dividing that ponytail in half from which she divided those in half which then divided as well in about two-inch intervals about seven times before gathering back together, then dividing again for seven times and gathering again.  
  
"Sup, Adea! You like my hair?" I just nodded as she dragged me by the arm to the hallway to meet up with the others.  
  
Kosen-teki was sitting in a corner, watching everyone without much concern. He was probably used to this. Shaku was being nosy and looking around at almost everything. Kyoretsu was calmly sitting on the edge of the platform that had the Neo-ZERO system on it. Jaide was walking around aimlessly.  
  
"HEY! Adea's here! And I am too!" Shorai beamed a smile and walked over to Kosen-teki and looked down at him. "Hello down there. Need help up?" She put her hand out and surprisingly, Kosen-teki took it and stood.  
  
Jaide walked over to me and smiled sheepishly. "So much for me being a morning person...I can't stand getting up *this* early."  
  
"Well that is surprising. I feel perfectly fine for me not being one of those morning people." I smiled and patted him on the back hard. "Lighten up, buddy ol' pal! This ain't gonna be too tough, right?"  
  
He slapped me on the back twice as hard and grinned falsely. "Right, pal. Whatever you say."  
  
I punched him in the arm, still grinning like a madwoman. "Right, buddy! So much fun."  
  
"Of course!" He punched me in the shoulder too.  
  
"ATTEN-TION!" A voice thundered from the opposite end of the hallway. All six of us looked up from whatever we might have been doing and saluted respectfully, standing at...well...attention. Lucky us, the general was back.  
  
I decided to try my telepathy out and focused my mind to the others. Well, guys. This is it. Good luck and Godspeed.  
  
No, this isn't it. This is just the beginning. I heard that these are the base tests. No fear, no anger. We'll all pass. Kyoretsu's voice rang through my and everyone's head. He sure didn't sound too happy. Or too sure of his own words.  
  
Fool. This is the stage where we might die. Kosen-teki, grim as ever, spoke.  
  
The general then started to babble. "These tests will determine your mobile suit accuracy and speed. When you are finished, you may return to your living quarters. Anyone not understand? No? Good."  
  
Shaku went up first. The other five of us gathered around to watch her. She climbed into the chair and sat down, pulling a helmet-like device with wires coming out from all directions on her head. Then she grabbed a horizontal control stick in each hand and looked to the general. "So are you gonna start the damn thing?"  
  
The general simply flipped a switch outside the mini-cockpit and the tests began. Her eyes shut quickly in pain, then opened and focused directly onto the screen in front of her. The bleeps from the machine were quickly calculated and were scribbled onto a long sheet of paper being fed outside the machine. Shaku's eyes darted madly back and forth, up and down, and in several different directions as she moved the control sticks expertly to shoot down the targets on the screen.  
  
Once the tests were finished, Shaku had great trouble getting out of the system. After she did, she stumbled away from us, one hand grasping her chest and the other gripping her head. The next person up was Kosen-teki.  
  
He looked back at us then climbed in. The tests seemed to go easy for him, but when he got back out, his face was a deadly pale and his eyes were glazed over. I was next.  
  
Shorai offered me a vote of confidence by shaking my hand and wishing me the best of luck. Kyoretsu smiled and nodded as he stood beside her. Jaide gave me a brief hug.  
  
Even though you cannot fly... He messaged to me and Kyoretsu and Shorai.  
  
"I'm not content to crawl." I finished with a smile. The others smiled as well and their faces disappeared as I fixed myself into the Neo-ZERO system. Gripping the control sticks with sweaty palms, I focused my mind at the screen in front of me and signaled for the tests to begin.  
*****  
Shorai's POV  
  
She was incredible. The poor girl had sweat pouring from her head. I watched silently, hoping she could hold on. It was easy to tell she was in pain; her hands were gripped so tightly to the control sticks, her knuckles turned white.  
  
The testing wouldn't stop. I uncrossed my arms and stared, with gaping mouth. They should have been done by now. Adea should have been finished! "She's barely holding on..." I gasped. Her face was a deadly pale and her eyes themselves had also turned white.  
  
Kyoretsu put a hand on my shoulder as if to brace himself. "Why aren't they stopping? It should only last twenty minutes....it's thirty now...."  
  
Adea's teeth gritted and her nails started to dig into the bottom of the sticks. Thirty-five minutes and still no stopping. "Find the general! She won't make it if she goes on any longer." Her eyes were in danger of closing and her mind was near a possible coma state if she were to stay hooked into the ZERO system.  
  
Jaide nodded and dashed away, faster than I have seen any other human. I sighed and prayed to God that she would forgive me for what I was about to do. Closing my eyes, I put my fingertips to my temples and concentrated, tapping into her thoughts. Oh dear God...I thought to myself. Her mind was racing, she couldn't stop; in a panic she still tried to test.  
  
I couldn't let her go on like this. I relayed a message hoping it would get through and make sense because the general was nowhere in sight. Adea, calm down and listen to me.  
  
Shorai, help me! It's not stopping! My mind feels like it's on fire! She sounded desperate and panicked. She was afraid. Her thoughts almost screamed at me, but as an important rule, I had to keep my calm.  
  
Take the helmet off.  
  
She didn't answer for a second, then: I can't...I won't abandon the test like that.  
  
I shook my head. Listen to me, this won't make you any less of a fighter. Just stay calm, ok?  
  
Silence.  
  
Here comes the general, hold on for two more seconds, can you do that? Adea?  
  
She managed a small yes.  
  
The person that ran in with Jaide wore a general's uniform, but had slicked back black-gray hair and jet black eyes. I'd guess he that he was Chinese. He ran up to the system and pounded the 'execute mission' button on the side with the side of his fist, obviously angry.  
  
Adea slipped out of the belts that held her down and struggled out of the system. The poor girl tripped and fell, but was fortunately caught by the strong arms of Jaide and Kyoretsu, who glared slightly at each other; they each had one of her arms and were holding her up. She snapped out of it and struggled away from them.  
  
"You alright?" Kyoretsu asked, concern burning deep in his eyes.  
  
"Do need any help?" Jaide questioned.  
  
She only growled and stumbled away, gripping her left arm tight to her with her right hand due to the excruciating pain in her chest. "I'm fine." We stood there and watched her leave, and sometimes, she would stumble again and lean against the wall for support before she would continue. She walked into her room and closed the door with an audible *thump*.  
*****  
Kyoretsu's POV  
  
The general guy watched Adea leave. "Women shouldn't fight." I saw on his badge he was General Chang.  
  
"It's natural to her, though. She's a born fighter through and through. She enjoys fighting. She practically lives for war." Jaide spoke so matter-of-factly, it made me mad. She shouldn't have to fight, she said she was a pacifist. He acted to calm, he barely cared about her. How dare he say she was a bloodthirsty fighter like he made her out to be? That couldn't be how she really was.  
  
I sighed in dismay. Listen to yourself, Kyo., you don't even know her and you're getting all defensive.  
  
The general looked at us and shook his head. "You three. Make sure the girl is ok later on, any complications and call the control room. You will skip the tests for now." With that, he turned and walked away, muttering angrily under his breath. "Dammit, Rhamsey, so damn hardheaded you might have cost us a soldier. Une won't be happy when she hears this."  
  
I looked at the two standing at my side and shrugged. "What do we do now?"  
  
"We should go check on Adea, she looked pretty bad."  
  
"Yeah, and if I know her, she'll be supremely pissed at General Rhamsey." Jaide concluded once again so matter-of-factly, it sickened me.  
*****  
Jaide's POV  
  
"And if I know her, she'll be supremely pissed at General Rhamsey." I said with a nod. It was true. She'd probably troop over to his office and kick his ass to China, in which that General Chang guy would probably kick his ass to America, then back to the colonies by someone else.  
  
We all trooped down to room 06. The blue haired dude had his hands shoved into those pockets of his and he looked angry. I simply shrugged and hummed to myself, trying to clear my head of all the self-doubt.  
  
Hey, what was there to doubt, anyway? The skies are...I looked up at the ceiling that was about 15 feet above...well, the skies aren't visible, so how can ya tell? Right? Let's just assume the skies are blue! A wonderful cloudless blue! Endless blue! A bright nice blue! Right? Oh come on, just agree with me.  
  
But suddenly those blue skies in my cobweb mind were stormed over when Kyoretsu started lecturing me about something....  
  
What?  
  
I don't know what that something is, sorry.  
  
Oh yeah, it was on paying attention. Anyway, those pretty blue skies were replaced by Adea's door. Shorai knocked and asked if she could come in.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
I was sitting on my cot, my back against the wall and my knees drawn up. In my lap, I held a clipboard with a sheet of paper clipped into it. Once again, I found myself locked into my mind and sketching whatever came into it onto that sheet. The results were always different.  
  
However, my thoughts were shattered and my line of thought went off track when someone knocked on my door.  
  
Shorai stepped in, smiling slightly, then closing the door on Jaide and Kyoretsu, she walked toward me with now noticeable concern. "Hey, you ok?"  
  
"I'm fine." To tell the truth, I didn't want to talk about it.  
  
She didn't believe me, I could tell. She sat down at the foot of my cot and shook her head. "Don't give that BS to me. I know better and you do too. What's wrong?"  
  
"You probably know. That was completely embarrassing back there!! I thought I was stronger than that. I thought I would have been able to make it through the test. I was pathetic." I set my clipboard at my feet, face down. "I should have been able to complete them like Shaku and Kosen-teki."  
  
She just looked at me. Then a smile spread like melting snow across her face. "Girl, you don't realize how much you impressed me and the others. The others' tests lasted for about twenty minutes. However, you were in that damned ZERO system for twice as long. Apparently there was a bug and unfortunately, it got you while the tests were tallying and just kept the ZERO system from stopping."  
  
Wow, I was astounded. THAT long? I lasted *that* long! Hah. Take that!  
  
We heard some pounding on the door. Then some muffled calling. "Hey Adea?! Can I come in? This blue haired guy won't talk to meee!" Oh boy. It was Jaide.  
  
Shorai stifled a giggle. "Leave them out there."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well you know they aren't the best of friends."  
  
"Hmn??"  
  
"Oh? You haven't noticed?" When I shook my head, she started to laugh, then stopped. "Oh come on! You did not know. I don't believe it!"  
  
I raised an eyebrow in question, which only made her double-over in laughter. Finally she calmed herself enough to where she could talk. "Ok, then. Nevermind." She stifled another giggle as Jaide's whimpers came through the doorjamb.  
  
"Adeaaaa! Come on, lemme in. The guy's scaring meee! He won't talk and he keeps glaring at me!"  
  
I decided to play along a little. "Aw, poor Jaide. Is Jaide afraid?"  
  
More whimpers. "No. He's not...it's just that...that blue-haired guy is standing there against the wall with his arms crossed and he's glaring at me! Tell him to stop iiiiiiit!"  
  
Kyoretsu's voice was now heard. "Boo. Did I scare you?" I had to laugh. His voice was calm, but dripping with sarcasm and I could practically see his expression.  
  
The door opened and Jaide scrambled into my room and wedged himself into the six or seven inches space between the wall and the side of the cot opposite the doorway. He scuttled in further as Kyoretsu walked in, hands in pockets, and took a chair at my desk which was about three feet away from the head of the cot.  
*****  
Shorai's POV  
  
It was simply hilarious. Jaide reminded me of a scared little puppy cowering in a corner. While Kyoretsu and Adea chatted about something...ah, forget what it was. I wasn't listening. I picked up her clipboard and stared at it closely.  
  
Jaide had crawled out of his hiding spot and was standing over my shoulder to look at the paper as well. There was an elegant pencil sketch of a white-winged angel, with wings that spread beautifully across the page. The lady was wearing an ankle-length white dress and she had dark waves of hair that swept down to mid-thigh. She was floating in mid-air, her hands down, palms out; she seemed to be looking down at something.  
  
That's when when I saw it: below her lie a land of ruins. She has her head bowed and her face was shadowed over, but I could almost swear I saw a tear running down her cheek. Something else that suprised me was that she had no halo, like a typical angel. Who was she? And was that a tear?  
  
I looked up at Adea and she caught my eye.  
*****  
  
Continued in Part Two- Lying in Ruins (Histories Uncovered) 


	4. (3) Ruins Explained (Histories Discovere...

Laying in Ruins [Histories Uncovered]  
Shorai's POV  
*****  
  
That's when I saw it: below her lie a land of ruins. She has her head bowed and her face was shadowed over, but I could almost swear I saw a tear running down her cheek. Something else that surprised me was that she had no halo, like a typical angel. Who was she? And was that a tear?  
  
I looked up at Adea and she caught my eye.   
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
Shorai looked at me and I saw the question in her eyes before she even spoke. "Yes. Laying In Ruins. It's one of the many tales that had been woven before me when I was younger. That angel is-...was the guardian of that world until she herself was killed. She watches the world from above in heaven now. The feathers from her wings are said to fall to the earth in forms of sunrays. And the wings themselves are said to be a shield wrapped around the world to protect it from harm."  
  
Jaide spoke up. "Why the tear? Why is she crying?"  
  
"The tear represent the tears shed when the people she watched over forgot what peace meant and when families were torn apart by war. The three craters stand for the three stars said to guide people to hope, peace, and happiness."  
  
"And why no halo?" Shorai questioned.  
  
I smiled slightly. "That's because she put her halo into the sky for light, for the sun; to help people see themselves and see others and to see what they've done."  
  
Kyoretsu walked over to take a peek at the paper and nodded. "She must be Kirei. Her face is shadowed over because she is almost ashamed of what has happened and she feels like she is responsible. Her hands are reaching out to the world, hoping to go back to save it."  
  
"How'd you know who she was?" I looked up at him.  
  
"I heard it somewhere before, or saw it somewhere, just don't remember where." He looked up at the ceiling as if to see a map of where he saw or heard it before. "Oh, yeah!" He held out his hand, palm up, and in it appeared a small book, about five inches long, three and a half inches wide, and about half an inch thick. On the cover was a design of a black rose and under it were the inscribed words of: Iie Sayonara, which means: No Goodbyes.  
  
It was my book!! I always wrote down my thoughts, brainstorming for ideas, dreams, nightmares, and tales I believed. I searched my pockets just to make sure it was mine. Kyoretsu handed it to me. "I think this is yours. I found it in the hallway when we first met, and I wasn't sure whose it was, so I kept it." He diverted his eyes to the floor. "Please forgive me if I say I read it. I was looking through for a name, but when I read one of the pages, I wanted to know what happened, which led to page after page. Some of those stories are practically captivating." He smiled.  
  
"It's ok." I take the book and put it in one of the desk drawers. I returned the smile.  
  
I wanted to change the subject to stop their watchful eyes from looking at me to the picture to the book and back. This wasn't hard for me because I can think of a different subject faster than a bullet could fly but for some reason I couldn't think. So I raced through my mind until I came up with something.  
  
"Are you going to take the tests?"  
  
"Dunno, girl." Shorai shrugged.  
  
"What I wanna know is what's gonna happen? I mean, come on people, we've only been here for three days! Think, if this is just the beginning..." I let my voice trail off.  
*****  
Kosen-teki's POV  
  
The morning after testing I met up with Shorai and the others. Once again, another day in this living hell. Thankfully, once we finish our three-week torture, we'll be free. Even before I reach them, I can hear Shorai's voice, happy and cheerful as ever. No doubt, she was talking to that other girl. I'm not sure where the redheaded gal is, but she's never around so I can't care much. Not that I should. I rub my bare arms slightly as I walk down the hallway to the cafeteria. Maybe it was just me, but I noticed it had gotten a little chilly.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
I smiled as I walked alongside the others, but I was thinking about home. I didn't like it here. I wanted to leave. Ignoring what they were saying, I concentrated and thought of possible plans. Escape through air ducts was the least risky, but I knew that these air systems were a maze of pipes.   
  
Oh well, no one will care.  
*****  
Shorai's POV  
  
"Yeah! I know!" I laughed and pushed Jaide into a wall. He started to wonder if I'd ever trip on my hair, but when I answered no, he started stepping on it for me. But when I rolled my hair up and held it in my hands the whole time he started picking about how I probably sat on it too.  
  
"Oh give poor Shorai a break!" Adea's laughing, sing-song voice made Jaide's attention turn to her and he started pulling on her waist-long ponytail that was usually loose. Her body jerked back as he stopped while she kept walking. Kyoretsu and I burst out laughing as she took on an image of a pull-ox. She looked over her shoulder at Jaide and gave a maniacal grin, scuffed the toe of her boot once then started walking forward. Jaide, with his knees locked, tried to stand still, but try as he may, slowly he was being pulled by her hair. She didn't seem to care either. She just leaned forward and kept walking, dragging Jaide behind. Oi, it was hilarious. Until of course, General Rhamsey waltzed over and told them to stop fooling around.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
I took my hair back and pulled the hair tie out, letting my hair cascade down my back. I turned around and glared at General Rhamsey. There was no "how are you" or "are you okay" or "I'm sorry" 's from this guy, no, he was too caught up in the fact that his bald-spot was growing too large for his comb-over. His gray hair had been colored in the past, you could tell. I'd give him about 42 years. Gheesh, he acted so stuck-up you could almost see the snot up his nose. Nasty.  
  
"You, especially, young lady, must learn to behave and also to respect those around you." He waved a finger at me and attempted a glare, but only came out looking foolish.  
  
I simply kept a straight face and uttered a single word that sent his face flaming in anger. "No."  
  
I would have felt a sharp sting across my face if I wouldn't have caught his hand, using a vice-like grip to nearly crush his wrist. In the coldest, calmest voice I could manage, I warned him. "Never hit a lady." As soon as I loosened my grip, he took off toward General Chang's office direction.  
  
"Wow. He looked scared." Kyoretsu's voice was quiet with both amusement and admiration. I turned to him and there was the biggest smile that I have ever seen. "You told him, Adea. I think he thinks you're crazy."  
  
Jaide quickly added in a comment too. "What a way to say it, so straight forward, I thought he was gonna wet his pants. And I think his hand will hurt for a few days."  
  
Shorai, however, wasn't as happy at my 'accomplishment'. She took my shoulders and looked me directly in the eyes. "Be careful with your strength, it may also be your weakness." I nodded and she continued. "I don't want anything to happen to my best friend or-"  
  
"The rest of us because of your actions." The sentence was finished be Kosen-teki, who stood behind us. "I saw the whole incident, and while I understand your anger to the general, Adea, I don't think your decision was a wise one."  
  
"How do you know how she feels??? You aren't her!" Jaide jumped in to my defense.  
  
Coolly, Kosen-teki simply said, "I saw the whole ZERO system incident, as well as this one. She needs to control her strengths better. Right now, in a MS battle, she would die quickly."  
  
Taken aback by the comment that was said so happenly, Jaide just growled.  
  
I turned to Kosen-teki. "You underestimate your opponent, you just break rule one of war: Never underestimate enemies, never over-estimate allies."  
  
"Rules are only such if they can be broken. And every rule has an exception." He smirked. I knew what this was, a battle of wits. A true battle. And true to his name, Kosen-teki loved battles. [Kosen-teki means love of war] This wasn't a MS battle, this was a battle from the mind and I was up for the challenge.  
  
"But with that exception, comes another exception." I crossed my arms and fixed my eyes on his, wielding a straight face and gaining a calmer composure.   
  
"War would then be impossible to fight if these rules weren't to be broken. Everyone over-estimates and underestimates. You underestimate me, and I you."  
  
"Hah, if anything, I over-estimate you. I can see in your eyes that you don't trust me in the least." I turned around and walked away.  
  
"You're right, I don't trust you. Why should I? You could be a traitor for all I know." I heard him call after me. It made me smile: at least now I wouldn't have to worry about anyone not wanting me to leave. The plans were being set.  
*****  
Shorai's POV  
  
"Where you goin'?" Jaide questioned to Adea's back. She didn't turn around, or even look back.  
  
"I've lost my appetite. Go to the lunchroom without me. I have something I need to take care of."  
  
"We'll save you a seat, ok??" I called. No answer. She then turned into a hallway marked: Intensive MS Training. "What's she up to?" I whispered.  
*****  
Kyoretsu's POV  
  
I wanted to follow her. She was up to something and I had a feeling it wasn't going to benefit anyone. I told Shorai and she gave me the okay, Jaide however, was more stubborn.  
  
"If you go too, there's more risk of us getting caught." My reasoning didn't seem to get through to him.  
  
"But you're gonna need backup if it gets too bad!" He looked indignant and set on following me follow Adea. That's when I just started walking.  
  
"You'll get in the way."  
  
He grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him with his angry five-year-old look. "You can't stop her. I hope she kills you." Then he shoved me in the direction she went. "Go on, Mr. Hero. Try to stop her."  
  
I leisurely jogged down the hallway, careful not to make too much noise. I looked down every corridor as I passed them, but no sign of Adea.  
  
Suddenly, coming up toward a turn, I look in the weapons room and I see her with a welding shield on her head. She had her back to me and she had a halter top on with the uniform pants. Her hair was pulled up into a bun to keep it from getting in the way. As soon as I take a step in, the torch spurts flames and starts going to work on a metal of sorts that had a tarp concealing most of it.  
  
I put a visor on myself and walk up to the side of her so as not to startle her. Unfortunately, she spotted me before I wanted her to. She spun around, flipped her visor up and held the still-flaming torch tip at me.  
  
"Get out of here."  
  
"What's up?" I spoke calmly, trying to make small talk.  
  
She switched the torch off and set it down, grinning slightly. "I think you know. You know it's not polite to spy on people."  
  
"I was worried, that's all." I walked up beside her to see what she was working on.   
  
"Worried? Why?" She asked, nonchalantly wiping the sweat off her forehead with the back of her wrist.  
  
"Ah, you know, a friend doesn't let a friend make a...a...um, what is this thing anyway?" I asked, running my finger along the seam of the joined metals.  
  
She nodded and patted the surface. "This, my friend, is the Zero system, unhooked." She added a 'mad scientist' laugh for effects. "I'm installing a small device that will give out wrong results, so hopefully they won't use it any more. Heh, it's not much but it'll sure give'm a scare. I programmed the system so it wouldn't harm the person, but the results would be extremely high at one point, and rock bottom at another." She grabbed the ends of the tarp and threw it off, revealing the like-new system with a very slight hint of a welding mark near the foot platform. "It's not much, but seeing as how much I love childish antics, this is a perfect little bit of revenge."  
  
"Well then," I spoke cheerfully, putting my elbow on her shoulder and leaning on it as if she were a leaning post, "a friend won't let a friend mess up master plans alone. Kinda seems pointless, though."  
  
Adea stood there, looking up at me out of the corner of her eye. "You didn't notice it was gone when we were walking to breakfast? I smuggled it last night. By the way, you have a bony elbow." She laughed and quickly spun away, leaving me fall. "You know, you could have just asked if you could have come with me to see what I was up to. I would have told you and then told you not to come along."  
  
"Well then I guess I shouldn't have asked, cuz now I get to follow you." I grinned and she slapped me in the arm with a rag as I stood.  
  
"Alright, you found out, now shoo." She started to push me out of the room.  
  
"Why??"  
  
"Because I don't want anyone to find out what I'm doing by drawing attention. Now go, I'll be in the lunchroom in a few. Just let me clean up here and move the system back to its spot."  
  
"You'll need help." I crossed my arms and refused to budge.  
  
She shook her head. "No. I got it out here, I'll be able to get it back." With that, she swept her foot out, caught my shoulders as I started to fall, dragged me out and slammed the iron door shut, clicking it locked.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
Finally, he was gone. I rubbed my arms, it had suddenly gotten cold.   
  
I didn't pay it any mind as I picked up a broom and swept the metal filings and globs of scrap and dumped them into the trashcan. Afterward, I wheeled a cart over to the system, and, lifting it little by little, I managed to shimmy it onto the cart.  
  
Oh well, I thought, this is gonna be easier that I thought. Shrugging the cold off, I put a lightweight jacket on and headed for the lunchroom.  
*****  
Shorai's POV  
  
"So what's the schedule for today?" Kyoretsu questioned from my right at the breakfast table while nonchalantly shoving a chunk of syrupy waffle into his mouth.  
  
"My my, aren't we the hungry ones today!" Jaide commented as he himself gorged out on the breakfast foods.  
  
I sat there smiling. "Between the two of you, I'm not sure if there'll be any food left!" I glanced down at my simple muffin and orange juice to their plates of pancakes, waffles, biscuits, toast, French toast, bacon, fruit, jelly, butter and syrup, even fried rice, and couldn't help but laugh.  
  
Kosen-teki, at my left, actually had a smile tugging at the ends of his mouth. "I expected this from Jaide, but not Kyoretsu."  
  
Kyoretsu looked up from his position, hunched over his plate with syrup dribbling from his chin. "I may hate a lot of things, but food's my best friend. That and the color blue. Love blue! And FOOD!" He maneuvered the chopsticks quicker and shoveled more of the messy fried rice into his mouth.  
  
Just then, Adea walked in smiling as she swiped a bottle of water off the cart and drank thirstily. "Wassup? Sorry I'm late." She sat down in front of me and burst out laughing as she noticed Jaide and Kyoretsu. "Geez! Hate to disappoint you guys, but after breakfast, we're going to a track to run laps for the cardiovascular part of our training. General Chang told me to tell you guys that Trowa will be here shortly."  
  
Kosen-teki slammed his fist into his other hand. "Blast, I knew I forgot *something*!" He mused.  
  
Jaide almost choked as Adea's words finally registered. "What?! Run LAPS???" He looked at Kosen-teki and grabbed his shirt collar in panic. "I'm the most out-of-shape person here and you didn't *tell* me?! EEP!" He crept back into his seat, clutching close the bowl of rice in his hands.  
  
Trowa walked in dressed in casual khakis and a dark blue t-shirt. "General Chang wanted me to tell you that I'll be the instructor for the second part of your training. Are you ready to go to the track?"  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
Trowa lead us through what seemed like a gerbil-cage's worth of tunnels and see-through corridors. When we finally reached the track, it wasn't outside like I had thought. Instead, it was located in a huge metal-domed room.  
  
The track was a red brick color with seven lanes that ran along the wall of the dome. It could have easily been half a mile in length. On the inside of the track in the central area of the dome lay all kinds of weight lifting machines and treadmills.  
  
"Whoa...." Shorai was smiling from ear to ear. "This is nothing like the gyms at home. This is *incredible*! I wonder how much all of this cost you??"  
  
Trowa answered her inquiry. "Ah, about 14.3 billion for the dome itself and about 9 billion even for the actual machines. The track cost us about 7 million to put in." He nodded in approval, then looked at a watch on his right hand. "Alright, do some stretching and then run five laps. Get it done before 11 AM. Once you're finished, come see me, I'll be in the lobby." He pointed to a door at the other end of the dome, then made his way over to the door, eventually shutting it behind him.  
  
"This place was bigger than I thought." I said, jogging out onto the astro-turf on the inside of the track.  
  
"Yeah, it looks almost small from the outside. Just the lobbies are huge. And the rooms aren't what you'd call closets either. This place is a maze. It looks confined, it's anything but." Kyoretsu said as he came to join me.  
*****  
Shorai's POV  
  
We decided to wait for everyone to finish running laps, Adea and I ran with each other the whole way and finished first, Kosen-teki finished right behind us and Kyoretsu a few seconds after. Jaide followed about five minutes later and we all trudged over the other side of the gym to the door that Trowa had gone through almost an hour earlier.  
  
"What was the point of that anyway?" Kyoretsu asked, walking backward to face the rest of us. "I mean, we run laps, big deal. It didn't seem like they were monitoring us, so what have they gained?"  
  
"It seems pointless, but it'll help in the mecha simulation tests." Kosen-teki almost smiled. "Everything here has a point."  
  
"Mecha simulation testing, eh??" Adea grinned. "Definitely my strong-point."  
  
Jaide leaned toward Kosen-teki skeptically. "Sooo, what you're saying is," He straightened up, crossed his arms and looked at him, "we could have skipped a lap or two and they wouldn't have noticed?"  
  
"I doubt it, Jaide-chan. I thought I saw a camera in one of the weights." I spoke, shrugging.   
  
Adea grinned and wrapped her one arm around Jaide's neck while she ruffled his hair with the other, leaving it lay on his head in a big clump of gel, hairspray and hair. "Yeah, Jaide-chan!!! You worried about not cheating or something???"  
  
Jaide pushed her away, and pouting, tried desperately to fix his hair. "You messed my hair!!! That's mean."  
*****  
Kyoretsu's POV  
  
We met up with Trowa about a minute or two later to discuss the bases and territory between the colonies and the Earth. Instead of the mobile suit testing like we were expecting, he led us through another maze of corridors and tunnels to a conference room. Situated around the table were chairs, about two dozen of them and only a handful were full.  
  
The older man instructed us to take a seat, then he sat in the seat to the right of the head and propped his chin on his hands as General Chang entered. He dimmed the lights and pulled down a projection screen. On it appeared a map.  
  
"Here is the base as seen from above." He flicked to a picture of the base. "We are in neutral territory. Sally, please explain the reasoning for those who might not understand."  
  
An older woman with sandy blonde hair tied in loose pig-tail braids stood, and with a commanding voice she spoke. "Right now as we speak, the war is continuing. If we do nothing, if we sit around and wait it out, we'd die. The reason is simple. If we don't do something this war will continue like it did in our time with Mareimaia. The problem is that we're just as well hidden as they are. We don't know the enemy." She turned to us after a moment of silence. "I have a reason that I developed the main part of this training. You five have a mission. No matter what, like the first generation Gundam Pilots you may see before you, you must complete your missions and be willing to risk you're life."  
  
"What if we aren't??" I questioned, a little startled about the words she had previously spoken.  
  
"You don't belong here if that's true." A man's voice spoke without any emotion. We turned around and there stood General Yuy. "Maxwell's been messing with the prototypes again."  
  
Kosen-teki stood and smiled. "Grandfather, when are you going to shoot him like promised?"  
  
Yuy took his grandson's hand and shook it firmly. "He may be older, but he's just as rambunctious as always. And he's taken all of my guns."  
  
Trowa stood and walked toward Yuy. He motioned to Adea. "She's a Maxwell."  
  
At the mention of her name, her face got a stony expression and she squared her shoulders, crossing her arms.  
  
Yuy looked to her and a small smile crossed his face. "Surprising. Nothing like him."  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
I stood silent. What was that supposed to mean? I'm a Maxwell, big deal. Kyoretsu elbowed me in the side, smiling.  
  
"You're well known!" He whispered.  
  
"Heero!" Sally smiled. "Glad to see that you got here in one piece!"  
  
He ruffled his dark-grayish brown hair then shook his head. "Not with Maxwell's driving skills. We were supposed to pick up some parts for the mobile suits and he almost got us killed. I don't know why we let him keep his license in the first place."  
  
Moans and then small chuckles of agreement went around to everyone else in the room.  
  
Sally shook her head. "Duo's never really been the most responsible person in the world. Let alone the best driver. The only reason he was such a good Gundam pilot was that he was so reckless when he fought and he easily got the enemy killed." She let out a small laugh. "Pure insanity. Even when he's in his fifties he has just as much energy."  
  
"And what makes it worse is that I lost him." Heero sighed. "Oh well, he'll either get lost and starve or he'll find his way out and get it by a car."  
  
Just then, we heard a maniacal laugh followed by bursts of giggles. Then a man with a knee-length gray-brown hair in a braid dashed through the door carrying a large water gun. The next thing I knew, was that a jet stream of ice cold water hit me in the stomach probably as well as everyone else in the room.  
*****  
Third Person POV  
  
"MAXWELL!!!!" A shout from Heero echoed through the hallways. Within seconds, he was beet red in the face and chasing a giggling Duo around the room.  
  
Everyone else gathered in a corner and watched in partial amusement as Duo tripped over chairs and tables in effort to stay away from Heero.   
  
"Alright, you two." Sounded a woman's voice from the doorway.  
  
"Noin! Thank heaven you're here." Sally grinned.  
  
The other woman smiled. "Looks like I was just in time too." She walked over to the group. "I'm glad to see that everyone's here...Wait, where's the redhead?" She looked over the young pilots carefully.  
  
Adea shook her head and spoke, choosing her words carefully. "I don't know, she hasn't been to any of the testing. I don't tr-" Kosen-teki cut her off, shaking his head so she'd keep quiet for a moment.  
  
Kosen-teki stepped forward. "Shaku only participated in one of the tests, as far as my studies show, she's already failed."  
  
Trowa, who had been silent the whole time, nodded. "True, but we need as many allies as we can get. Someone radio her room and if she's not there check the premises."   
  
A young man dressed in a uniform nodded and on salute, left.  
  
Duo almost skipped over to the young pilots and in a joyful voice, cheered, "Introductions!!"  
  
Sally grinned and walked over to Kosen-teki. "This is Heero's grandson as you already knew."  
  
"Yup, yup!" Duo flashed a grin.   
  
She stepped over to Adea. "Adea. You remember her, right?"  
  
"I should hope so!!" He then caught the startled girl in a bear hug. "How you doin'! Long time no see!!!"  
  
She coughed slightly. "Can't breathe...."  
  
"Oh! Heh, sorry 'bout that!" He stepped back grinning.  
  
She nodded stiffly, unsure of what to think. "Of course." Duo playfully slugged her shoulder and she managed a small smile.   
  
"Lighten up!!!" His famous grin crossed his face once again. He jumped over to Shorai and whistled. "Who's this?"  
  
She smiled and held out her hand, introducing herself. "Shorai Mirai. I take it you are Duo Maxwell, Shinigami, am I correct?" She grinned.  
  
"Wow! I'm famous! I could be the Keanu Reeves of TG!!!!" He took her hand and shook it vigorously. "The god of death has arrived!!!"  
  
Kyoretsu also introduced himself. "Kyoretsu, second in command in the space force on colony 77-59 section 4."  
  
Duo grinned even more. "Sweet!!! We got a second in command here!!!" He looked over at Sally. "How'd you get him here?? He's a second in command!" He returned his short attention span back to Noin.  
  
Noin walked over and next to Jaide, resting a hand on his shoulder. "This is my grandson, Jaide."   
  
Jaide looked over at her and grinned happily. "Gramma, where's Gramps?"  
  
"I'd prefer you *not* call me that." A deep voice came from the doorway. There stood a tall man in his fifties dressed in a dark uniform. He walked over, smiling down at Noin with his aquamarine-colored eyes. His light blonde hair was long and came to about mid-back.  
  
"Zechs," Noin play-scolded, "you taught him to call you that in the first place, you know." She smiled and brushed away a few strands of her purple-ish hair out of her eyes and tucking them behind her ear.  
  
"That was before I was calling him Grampy-san." Jaide volunteered cheerfully and his smile only broadened at the site of Zechs' slight wince.  
  
Sally clapped her hands once, loudly, and instructed everyone to take a seat.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
I looked around at everyone; they all seemed so familiar with this. I checked my watch: 3 pm. We spent a lot of time discussing the territories and boundaries, our allies and our possible enemies.  
  
We had moved to a hidden, secluded part of the colony to lower the possibilities of being found. This was still another part of that old run-down looking building that Jaide and I had encountered almost a week earlier. After reviewing the maps of the building's system, the rest of the "team" and I found out that the building was an absolute maze of tunnels that ran both above and underground. There was even a system running in the walls of the colony, spread out like a net. Access was possible to anywhere. We had been confined to a smaller area when we first arrived to minimize risk of getting lost. Seriously. Noin was laughing and telling us how it took her two years to get used to the maze. Even now, she grinned as she thought about it, she still gets lost.  
  
However, I couldn't get my mind to focus. Everything blurred. I took a sip of water and tried to concentrate on the matter at hand, but with no prevail. I yawned.  
  
"Adea? Something wrong?" Duo's unusually concerned voice cut through me like a blade.  
  
"Hmn?"  
  
Kyoretsu's hand rested comfortingly on my shoulder and I could feel his eyes looking right at me. "Noin called you name seven times and you didn't respond."  
  
Déjà vu....From when?? My head spun. Something was going to happen. Soon. I felt adrenaline pulsing through my veins, a flash jolted me upright. I saw an explosion and could almost feel the flames and debris fly past me.  
  
My eyes snapped open and I saw Shorai. She looked at me with an extreme intensity in her eyes, but she only nodded. She knew what was going to happen too.  
*****  
Shorai's POV  
  
4:22 pm. Adea knew something was going to happen, and so did I. The meeting was dismissed and we went our separate ways. Kosen-teki and Heero went to discuss the mobile suit assembly while Trowa and the others went to monitoring stations situated throughout the building. However, Adea went in a completely different direction and I was half tempted to follow her, but decided against it. I followed Kyoretsu and Jaide, who had seemingly came across a truce and were chatting happily about ketchup.  
  
"Yeah! I know, it's tomatoes, then, BANG! Ketchup!" Jaide jumped in emphasis, grinning like an idiot.  
  
Kyoretsu laughed and nodded. "And it's funny how mustard and ketchup go so well on a burger, ya know? Cuz yellowish brown and red usually don't go well together."  
  
"Hey, Sho', whattya think?"   
  
I grinned slightly, and having not been paying much attention, was completely lost. "Ehhhh...ketchup tastes good??" I grinned, slinking a hand behind my head and laughing.  
  
Jaide lightly punched my arm. "Ya got that right! See, Kyo'-man? She knows what's goin' on! Ketchup DOES taste good!"  
  
"Why don't we go the café for some latté and burgers!!!" Kyoretsu grinned.  
  
There was an exclamation of agreement from Jaide as we headed down a hallway toward the underground café.  
  
And so was the returned and continued conversation of the tart, but sweet taste of ketchup, along with how amazing it is, the words from before tumbling around every five minutes like an odd déjà vu.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
I walked around for a long time, you know, just wandering. I found my way back to my room and shouldered a trench coat and headed for the roof.  
*****  
Kosen-teki's POV  
  
I stood next to Grandfather, watching intently as he punched in numerous keys on the control panel in the main control room of the colony. I noticed the disturbance in his eyes and immediately questioned it.  
  
"Grandfather, what's wrong?"  
  
He almost growled. "A lot of things. The colony's mean temperature is dropping rapidly. If this continues, the colony will freeze."  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
I stepped up onto the ledge and looked out over the colony, shivering. The torrid weather of the colony had gradually become unusually chilly. Stuffing my hands into my pockets, I close my eyes and let the wind blow my hair off my back.  
  
I glanced at the landscape almost forty stories below me. I could see the fields and parks I grew up playing in. I tilted my head up and saw the bottom semi-reflective layer from the level above me. I smiled as I remembered studying the colony in school, in the month that seemed an eternity behind. There were seven layers to the colony. From the ouside, the colony was shaped like a huge cylinder. Six layers were for living area, and the seventh was for the maintenance, such as temperature control, weather control, and the like. I knew that Kosen-teki and Yuy were there now, watching over the colony. After all, the base *was* the colony, with access ways spreading over the colony like a web.  
  
I looked back down to the ground far below me. This building was disguised as an old factory and had a highway lined with tall trees whose shadows played over the road like barcodes.  
  
"So much for my school report." I smiled to myself, but that smile faded as an eruption shook the colony in the distance.  
  
A nearer explosion occurred, within ten yards, tore away the far part of the building, sending me off balance. I felt myself fall, and too afraid to close my eyes, I kept them open, watching in fear as the ground seemed to draw closer.  
  
A tight grip around my waist made me get a grip of my senses and turned to see Kyoretsu, his expression grim.  
*****  
  
Continued in Part Four- Allies Turned Enemies 


	5. (4) Allies Turned Enemies (War and Confl...

Allies Turned Enemies [War Reborn]  
Adea's POV  
*****  
A nearer explosion occurred, within ten yards, tore away the far part of the building, sending me off balance. I felt myself fall, and too afraid to close my eyes, I kept them open, watching in fear as the ground seemed to draw closer.  
  
A tight grip around my waist made me get a grip of my senses and turned to see Kyoretsu, his expression grim. I looked up at him and he shook his head. "There've been problems, c'mon." Not waiting for my reply, he grabbed my arm and we hurried back to the lobby where we'd all meet.  
  
As we reached the lobby, everyone was gathered there, old and new pilots alike. We trekked to the main control room where more soldiers and Noin was stationed.  
  
"Noin! What are the readings?" Zechs ran over to her side as she watched the monitors.  
  
"It doesn't look good. We've got a band of what looks like a new model MS." She pulled up the data on a separate monitor. "Ares. It's Greek for god of war, and it's not the ones we fought. These have long energy spears along with buster rifles, or substituted with heat whips."  
  
"So they aren't the flying models from AC 195." Quatre stated, peering at the screen carefully.  
  
Sally nodded and joined them. "By far. Somehow I think they are remodeled after Epyon."  
  
Another explosion shook the building like a massive earthquake, knocking almost everyone to the floor. "Dispatch the troops!!!" Noin shouted over the chaos from another eruption.  
*****  
Shorai's POV  
  
Everything became a blur, we were rushed to the mobile suit hangar and were there in about two minutes because we ran as fast as our legs could carry us. Zechs and Heero were ahead, guiding us.  
  
They stopped when we finally reached the hangar. As the gate slowly lurched its way up with creaking and groaning in dispute, there were six mobile suits revealed. To Adea's obvious disliking, they weren't Gundams of any sort, they were, however, new models. Beautiful dark green and black outfitted the suit perfectly. The arms were equipped with homing missiles, rockets, and energy sabers. On the top of right shoulder was a release for a light shield. The sides of the head were armed with smaller cannons and machine guns. There were forty missiles in the chest much like the Gundam Heavyarms, as well as bombs and more missiles in the legs.  
  
Another bomb exploded somewhere near and the wave of debris bit and tore at the hangar. We had to evacuate, leaving the suits behind or risk dying. We took express travel routes to the colonies' central park, supposedly the safest area.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
We reached the park only to see mobile suits surrounding the rather small population of the colony. The Ares were turned facing toward the group and facing outward to warn the leader of any possible guerilla attacks. Standing on the head of a mobile suit, turned facing down at the crowd stood Shaku, hands on hips.  
  
Before anyone could stop her, Shorai ran out toward the mobile suit circle, shouting in fury. "SHAKU!! What the HELL do you think you're doing?!"  
  
The redheaded girl turned slightly, looking down over her shoulder at her cousin. "Cousin, what does it look like?? Kitto you are not that blind."  
  
I ran to stand beside my friend as did the rest of the group, craning our necks up and shielding our eyes from the harsh imitation sunlight on the colony just to get a look at Shaku. Shorai growled, fists clenching and unclenching at her sides.  
  
"Don't give me that 'cousin' crap! Get down from there and explain yourself!!!"  
  
"But dear Shorai how you do have a point, us not being related through blood and all. You may be two years older than I, but that gives you no right to order me around." She snickered, extending her right arm and sweeping it around her, giggling gleefully. "I'm taking over the colonies and Earth, much like my grandmother had!"  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"Oh, Shorai, dear, you know. Mareimaia had once tried to fulfill our family's legacy, but failed because she was too soft and pathetically weak!! I will complete her mission! You cannot stop me, none of you can. You've dug yourself into your grave." Shaku sneered. "And sadly, no headstone."  
  
Shorai spat at the mobile suit's foot. But before she was able to say anything else, Heero stepped in front of her. "You've got no choice or a chance! Get down from there! I don't want to have to kill anyone again!"  
  
She only laughed. "Old man! You think you could harm me? HAH! This isn't AC 196. You can't kill me! Hell, you didn't even kill Mareimaia! You, like her, became too soft. Not only that, you *won't* kill me! I'm too smart. I've studied the war of AC 196 and studied all of my grandmother's mistakes." She glanced back at the huddle of people in the center of the Ares and nodded as soldiers began escorting them away and the other MS started thundering away. "This will be a grand war!"  
  
As Shaku's MS started walking away, Shorai began running after it. I jogged next to her and watched in curiosity as she stopped in front of the MS, daring it to step on her, skidding to a halt and spreading her arms out as if to create an invisible barrier. "Shaku, stop this! The reason Mareimaia didn't win was because she realized that wars were meaningless!"  
  
Shaku glared at her cousin. "That war may have been meaningless, but this one certainly is NOT! Now move!"  
  
I stood next to Shorai and grinned at her. "She's not gonna go far. We'll stop her."  
  
"OH?! Is THAT what you think? Fools!!! I'll kill anyone who gets in my way, and you pilots will be the first to go!" The girl growled menacingly, dropping her arms and motioning her troop to turn around. At that instant, reinforcement troops led by Noin and Sally appeared behind us. Behind them were four suits I recognized only from textbooks: The four custom Gundams. But the redhead ringleader only chuckled in pure glee. "Oh my! This is too much! Six old geezers as your backups??" She peered down at us. "Don't expect them to be able to save you."  
  
At that comment radioed to the Gundam pilots, they set their weapons, ready to attack when given the word.  
  
Seeing their reaction, Shaku only continued to taunt. "Dear, I am frightened." Her slight British accent that carried to my ears was full of sarcasm and enjoyment. Her ruby eyes sparkled with demonic hells dancing in them. "Let's just hope your arthritis doesn't interrupt our fight!!!" With that, Shaku raised her arms, stretching them out at her sides. She tilted her head to the sky and let out high, shrieking laughs from her perch on the MS head. "IMBECILES!!!" She sneered, looking down at us with a wry, evil grin. "TROOPS! OPEN FIRE!" She threw her right hand to a dozen or so Ares suits as she called out her command.  
*****  
Shaku's POV (heheh...)  
  
I watched in awe as my troops clashed and collided with the old folks. They weren't too bad. But sadly, I wasn't able to see any bloodshed. I was escorted away so as not to be caught in line of the fire. What did they think I was? Weak?? Hah! That would be a mistake. Nonetheless, I went without making too much of a fuss.  
  
Rhamsey led me to a set of monitors and in an instant, they blinked to life and there was the battle, held from a dozen different, but marvelous angles. I grinned and eagerly leaned over the control panel, watching with happy eyes. "What's the status??"  
  
"Stalemate."  
  
"Huh? Seriously??" I peered harder at the monitors, praying to...who?? If there was a god, he certainly didn't listen to me. So, who was I praying to? The fates? No matter. I gazed at the screens with such intensity; hoping for bloodshed. I don't care from which side, just let there be blood so this battle will spice up a bit.  
  
The general beside me had boredom in his voice and was gnawing at a hangnail when he spoke, muffling his words slightly. "Yes a stalemate, what did you expect?"  
  
I turned to him, slapping his hand away from his mouth. "I expect us to WIN! What's wrong out there? Why are 50 year olds beating us??"  
  
Rhamsey put his hands on his hips and pouted, giving him a look thirty years younger. "They have more experience. Plus the other suits are being shipped in for the new pilots." Saying this, he returned to chewing at his finger.  
  
"What?? Dammit, you idiot!!!" I shoved him away from the control panel and grabbed the radiophone. "Troops seven and nine, depart and block the unmanned suits heading in from sector 13! And destroy the temperature control! I want these people to freeze!! No one survives!" I barked angrily. I wanted these people to freeze. I want them to die. I wanted them to suffer.  
  
"So??" Rhamsey peered annoyingly over my shoulder.  
  
"So? SO!?" I growled and pushed him over to another set of monitors across the room that calculated the battle stats. "Watch the fight! If anything happens that damages us, notify me at once!!!"  
*****  
Third Person POV  
  
About half an hour later, one of Shaku's soldiers trotted into her doorway and saluted. "You may speak." She commanded, nonchalantly waving her hand after setting her book down.  
  
"Shaku, uh, ma'am? The suits have reached the new pilots." He knew that sending this message might have cost him his life. He was trembling in fear as Shaku stepped toward him, her fists clenched at her sides.  
  
"And you're here telling me this shit and not DOING anything about it?!" Her palm lashed out and caught the soldier in the side of his jaw, cutting his lower lip on the tooth.  
  
He gingerly touched his lip, wincing ever so slightly before managing to continue. "B-but, miss, they were able to break our defenses and they're heading here."  
  
She growled. "Leave now! Tell Rhamsey I'll be there in two minutes. Now go before I change my mind!" She watched the soldier leave with disapproval before shrugging a jacket over her shoulders.  
  
Mumbling a string of choice words, she headed out the door to her room, slamming it behind her. She almost seemed to walk with a vengeance, arms swaying slightly at her sides in opposite rhythm with her stride, clenching and unclenching her fists. Shaku swore that man, Rhamsey, was nothing but a painful and annoying thorn in her side. "He'll need to be disposed of."  
  
Gah, what an old cliché, but such a true one: Good help is hard to find these days, she thought. Shaku rushed into the control room only to see that none of the monitors except one was being watched. "Rhamsey! Where are the rest of our men?!" She hurried over to him gazing into the monitor screen. "Well??"  
  
She shook his shoulder and gasped as horror struck her face. The man tumbled out of the chair. A bullet had long since been embedded into his back, soaking his tawny-colored uniform with bright red, then drying into a deep burgundy. She knelt beside him, checking for a pulse even though she already knew the inevitable: he was dead. She closed his ever-staring white eyes and shook her head slowly.  
  
Almost immediately, her thoughts went to the soldier who had visited her no longer than ten minutes ago. Shaku jumped up and reluctantly left to search for the younger man. She scuttled around the base looking for him and just as she was walking into the control room to slunk into the chair and accept defeat, she ran right into him, revolver in hand.  
  
She stumbled back, smoothing out her uniform as she glared at him standing in the doorway, blocking her entrance. "What did you do to Rhamsey?"  
  
He looked slightly dumbfounded, then, glancing from the revolver to Shaku, he just nodded.  
  
"Answer me!" Her voice demanded.  
  
The soldier cocked the gun and pointed it at her. "This has to end. Shaku, ma'am, I've had enough of this." A look of remorse crossed his navy-blue eyes. "This isn't the way to peace." He ran one hand through his wavy black hair while keeping the gun aimed at the young girl.  
  
"Why'd you have to kill Rhamsey?" She inquired.  
  
"Because he killed my family, and like him, you must also die. That is the only thing I can do to avenge the people's deaths." His index finger quivered on the trigger.  
  
"STOP!!!" A loud voice sounded from the hallway directly to their left. There stood Shorai and Adea, grenade launchers positioned one on each shoulder. Shorai spoke again. "Drop your weapon. You're out-numbered. Shaku, are you okay?"  
  
She spat at her cousin's feet as the two advanced cautiously. "I don't need your help. You're my enemy. I wish you were dead."  
  
The words stung Shorai's ears and she winced as she heard them. The soldier watched as the two had a stare-down, then breaking the silence, turned the gun to himself. "I won't allow myself to die at the hands of war, I'll avenge all I've killed." He whispered hoarsely.  
  
No one had a chance to stop him as the crack of gunpowder echoed throughout the corridor.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
It all happened too damned fast. There wasn't any scream of pain...it was the silence that got to me. The guy tumbled to the floor, the revolver clambering to the marble floor, making the silence afterward even more unbearable. His eyes...the eyes stared, unblinking. Shaku blankly stood there, gazing at the corpse.  
  
"Dear Lord...." Shorai fell to her knees. "See?? See what war does to people? This is even worse! This is a blind war, Shaku! Don't you realize how many people are losing their lives? While your troops are on earth massacring thousands, you stand here and do nothing to stop or promote it. Do you hear me, Shaku! You're pathetic! You are weak." She looked up at her cousin, her eyes brimming with tears. "And to think you killed Ma. Damn you..."  
  
Shaku said nothing for a moment, then began, her voice oddly calm. "Your mother angered me, as did mine. I rid of them for their own good. Whether you decide to wish me to the flames of hell for that or not, I won't care. This step of the waltz has been completed, and though you followed through well and alive, rest assured that that will not be the case for long. Expect another attack, but for now, may I suggest you run for your lives." She pulled out a small remote and pushed a square button on its face. At that instant, hundreds of red lights flashed around us from self-detonation switches. "This base will explode in ten, taking out the bottom of the colony with it."  
  
I gripped a radio off my belt and messaged Heero. "Seal off the lower two levels!!! They're going to explode in ten minutes! Don't worry about us, we'll take the escape shafts." Immediately I turned the radio off, giving him no option but to follow my instructions. By the time I looked around again, Shaku was gone and Shorai was tugging at my arm.  
  
"We need to get out of here! Follow me."  
  
Our escape pods shot out of the tunnels with about five seconds to spare before the lower section of the colony exploded in a whirl of fire and debris, hurtling our separate crafts further out into space. As I sat there waiting for the rescue shuttle to pick us up, I looked out of the small window and saw the earth.  
  
I wanted to go there. I wanted to see the trees, drink the waters, and breathe its air, just like a close friend of mine had before she moved to the colonies. To think, my true home. It's there, right in front of me. I sigh and lean back in my small enclosure, resting my head on the back of the mattress-like cushion, closing my eyes. I'm left here to think about anything. I'm left here to wait for my rescue.  
*****  
Shorai's POV  
  
Adea's and my escape pod launched right before the colony exploded, sending us further away from the colony. Since these are just for escape, they have no power source, just an oxygen stimulator and temperature control. The pods are small, about the size and shape of a bunk on the inside, with a sleek, thick, protective casing giving the pod the appearance of a giant pill-like capsule. I curled up and turned on my side, cupping my hands under my head as a makeshift pillow.   
  
"Shaku..." The sound of my own voice startled me. I was wondering about her, hoping she was okay. I went through a series of emotional battles, hoping for her sake that she was alive, yet hoping for humanity's sake that she was dead.  
*****  
Kyoretsu's POV   
  
After we destroyed the mobile suits, we headed back to the main base only to get information that Shaku had been found. Shorai immediately took the job and Adea insisted she come along, but that was it. We thought nothing of just letting them go. Now I curse myself for not going with them. We got word of their capsules being launched and now a search was being done to find them.  
  
"Anything yet??" Kosen-teki poked his head into the room before walking in.  
  
I sighed and pointed to the radar, which was still blank. "Nothing."  
  
"Jaide should have found them by now!" He walked over to me and flipped some switches on the monitor, as if to see if I were lying.  
  
"He is only one man after all, K-T, and for all we know, the explosion could have separated the pods by as much as 5,000 miles. We sent him out two hours ago-"  
  
"Three, Kyoretsu, THREE hours ago. And we haven't seen either of the pods. We should be searching for them as well!" He growled.  
  
I stood. "What do you think I've been doing for the past hours?? Eating chocolate cake?! I've contacted every other colony on this side of earth, contacted all earth radios, tracked all satellites, and all to see if I could use their radar to find them! So far, I have twelve satellite radar, four earth radar, and twenty-seven colony radar watching out for the pods!!! I even gave them the model numbers!!"  
  
He grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently. "You idiot! You could have gotten them killed! Has it occurred to you that other people might be looking for them and might not care if they are alive??"  
  
My mind suddenly blanked, then reeled in confusion and self-anger. He was right, I might have killed them. I nodded in defeat. "Alright, we look for them. Are there any radar shuttles left?"  
  
"One."  
  
"Alright then, we'll get them back and radio to Jaide if and when we do." We rushed to the shuttle's hangar and almost pummeled down a redhead in the process. Her eyes glowed pinkish-purple with anger and hatred.  
  
Kosen-teki stood rigid, jaw clenched. "Shaku."  
  
She smiled with a fake innocence. "Hello, Kosen-teki. How are you?"  
  
"Where are they?"  
  
"Where are who?"  
  
"You know very well who I'm talking about. Where are Shorai and Adea?"  
  
"I don't know, somewhere floating in space." She waved her hand around at the wrist, placing the other on her hip and looking impatiently up at the ceiling. "But that's not important. I'm going to give this virus to you. It'll freeze the colony within minutes and give me all the data that you collected within the past seventy-two hours." She held up a small disk.  
  
I narrowed my eyes at her, unbelieving. "Why do you want to freeze the colony? What kind of childish prank are you trying to pull here?"  
  
She looked right at me, crossing her arms. "I want them to feel the cold that I've felt in my heart for my whole life." She spread her hands almost apologetically. "I know it's childish, but it makes me feel better. And it's no prank."  
  
"And that's your reason for wanting to kill almost 1,000 people?!?! 'It makes me feel better'?!" I almost laughed.  
  
"You know, the oxygen stimulator in that model of escape pods only last about seven hours, may I suggest you continue your search?" She smirked.  
  
"Go on, I'll take her from here." Noin startled the girl by jabbing the barrel of a pistol at the side of her neck.  
  
Kosen-teki bowed gratefully. "Thanks Noin."  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
It's so quiet...I yawn and hum to myself the tunes of my favorite heavy metal band, gently drumming my fingers to the imaginary beat on the wall of the capsule. I draw my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them. I'm so tired and cold.  
*****  
Shorai's POV  
  
I look at the illuminated digits on my watch. It's been about six and a half hours since we were launched. I've napped, thought, sang, cried, and yelled in that time. I'm tired again, I think I'll sleep.  
*****  
Kyoretsu's POV  
  
I piloted the shuttle while Kosen-teki checked radar and watched by eye. We were running out of time.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
I woke up with a start. I couldn't breathe, my lungs burned and choked for the precious air they needed. I felt sick. My mind reeled with pain that I could never before imagine. I had to think about breathing.  
  
My vision clouded and everything started blanking out. Suddenly, a loud metal clang shook the capsule almost flipping me against the wall. Without the strength to fight, I closed my eyes, slowly losing consciousness.  
  
I now know I was praying to God for guidance, because just as I was about to give up, the capsule split open and buckled inside a shuttle, allowing new air to flow into it. My chest stung as I drew in breath, but each one afterward became increasingly easier. A blanket was draped around my shoulders and I turned to see Kyoretsu, then looking to my right, saw Shorai's capsule.  
  
Jumping up, I ran over as the pod split like mine had. The girl instantly started coughing, then sat straight up, taking deep breaths. She grinned weakly. "I'm alive." She gripped the cross dangling around her neck from its small golden chain. "I'm alive." She whispered again, almost in disbelief. Shorai coughed a few more times before looking over at me. "And you're alive. That's good. Very good."  
  
Kosen-teki walked over to her and rested a hand on her shoulder. "I've radioed Jaide and he's going to be here in a few minutes. Are the two of you alright?"  
  
I nodded. "Where are we?"  
  
Kyoretsu almost laughed. "The explosion knocked you into Deimos and Phobos' orbits. The magnetic fields of Mars' moons kept us from locating you on radar. Actually, all the credit of finding you can go to K-T. He was the one who suggested we use the old method of searching: the human eye."  
  
"What about Shaku? Did she escape?" The green-haired girl looked up at Kosen-teki, her brow furrowed in confusion.  
  
He sighed and laced his fingers behind his head. "More than that. She managed to infiltrate the base. Thankfully, Noin got hold of her so we could search for you two. Speaking of which, it'll take us about two hours to get back, so we might as well start now."  
  
"Right. You two hungry?? We got a fridge on board with all kindsa junk." Kyoretsu grinned.  
  
By the time we got to the main deck, Jaide was standing there happily gnawing on a sub sandwich overflowing with tomatoes and mayo. He informed us through a mouthful of food that he had just docked his ship and was absolutely famished.  
*****  
Shorai's POV  
  
The five of us sat at a round table with the shuttle on an automatic course to the colony. Adea was busy with trying to get her watch to cooperate, apparently the "little bitch" as she called it was messed up from being in a magnetic field for so long. Sadly, she wasn't handling it as well as I explained....  
  
"Dammit!" Adea pressed the buttons on her watch, struggling to get it to work. The shrill beeps of protest from the watch only seemed to frustrate her further. She unclipped the watch from her wrist and continued fussing with it. "You little piece of shit....I spent almost 60 WNM on this!"   
  
[WNM stands for World Nation Money, one WNM is the equivalent of about 5 US dollars. This new money was adapted in AC 198.]  
  
The others and I couldn't help but chuckle. She scrunched her face up and got so angry she pulled out a pocketknife and started picking at the back of the watch with the blade. "I've got you now...Hahahaha...." My comrade laughed evilly as she pulled off the back of the watch and started twitching the wires inside.   
  
"Why are you so concerned about a mere watch, girl?"  
  
She sat back briefly and chuckled. Her voice was low and smooth, menacing. "Oh, dear friend Jaide. You have no idea do you?" She held up the watch by its band. "THIS is *not* just a watch. This watch is programmed for projectory visuals, records data, has a tracking system, and runs completely on the CO2 in the air!! Therefore, I could just breathe on it and it would work! AND it's water, shatter, force, anti-gravity, and crush proof!"  
  
"Then why's it break so easily?" Kyoretsu leaned forward innocently taking a big bite of his sandwich.  
  
"THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW!!" She hunched back over the watch, pulling and straining the wires until they snapped, sending a buzz of electricity up her arm.  
  
I smiled as she looked up from the charred piece of metal, her long hair frizzed from the shock. "That's what you get."   
  
She stuck her tongue out at me then tossed the piece to the middle of the table. She sat back in the chair and crossed and arms. "What a waste. Piece of junk. Nothing but scrap."  
  
Kyoretsu reached for it. "May I?" He motioned to the knife in her hand. She tossed it to him. He took it and the watch and started working on it.  
  
Kosen-teki, who was silent through the whole episode, turned towards me. "What exactly happened between you and Shaku?"  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
Her eyes, brimming with the smallest amount of tears, were locked on the table. Her voice, strong, but trembling slightly. "It started a long time ago. When I was five and our families were together, I was assigned to baby-sit her. She was kind and polite then. Then a wave of battles hit, you know them; we all went through it."  
  
I noticed Shorai almost in tears, her face in her hands, Kosen-teki's arm around her shoulders, listening to her talking. I as well as Kyoretsu and Jaide listened in.  
  
"She wasn't the cute little girl everyone loved. She changed. Whenever our families would go to a little get-together, she would always stay away from everyone, and when someone would come near her, no matter what reason, she growled and spat at them. As we got older, I noticed smaller things a lot more. When she was about four, she started reading. Everyone seemed to be proud of her, but it was a fake pride. Shaku was reading war, weapon, and mass-murder books at that age. She would craft deadly weapons out of any material she could get her hands on and threaten to kill anyone who came near her with them.  
  
"As she became older, her sense of combat increased. She started asking a lot about Mareimaia. Whenever a stranger would comment about our grandmother, she would immediately come to her defense, but point out her weaknesses. Her parents would, like any others, try to get her to make friends, to have fun, but every time, she turned them down, claiming that war WAS fun. Soon, the nagging of her parents became too aggravating. She murdered them." Her voice almost broke. "She made it seem like someone else did it, but I knew it was her because when she came to live with us, she boasted about it; she threatened to kill me if I told anyone. One time she actually cut my neck when she held a knife to it. I still have that scar." Her hand went up to a pale stripe of flesh just below her jaw. Shorai's hand started trembling in reflection of the incident that happened so long ago.  
  
Kosen-teki took her hand and urged her to continue. "Go on, and don't be afraid of hiding anything, we're all here to listen, not tell."  
  
I smiled warmly at her. "I promise we won't tell."  
  
She nodded, sighing deeply and clearing her throat before continuing. "For my birthday, Ma gave me a cross, the one I wear today. Later that day, Shaku cornered me and asked me about the cross. I told her that it was a symbol of Jesus. She then clutched the necklace from which the pendant hung and claimed so bitterly, 'There is no Jesus, nor a God. If there was, He would have killed me a long time ago. Don't waste your time on this rubbish.'  
  
"My parents took on the role as hers. They tried enrolling her in some of the sports I was playing, like soccer. This only went on for about seven months. One night after dinner, we were cleaning up the table and Ma asked Shaku to dump the leftovers in the trashcan before putting them in the machine. Shaku exploded in anger, claiming that she was a great mastermind and that she shouldn't be treated like a child. She said she was an adult in a child's body. Ma knelt beside her and asked her again, almost pleadingly." This time her voice crackled. "I remember every second of this like a recurring nightmare. Shaku pulled out a gun, set it to my mom's temple and, saying goodbye, she pulled the trigger. I still remember the horror on Ma's face."  
  
She wiped the tears from her eyes and continued. "I remember calling the emergency numbers, running upstairs with the cordless radiophone because Shaku was chasing after me, shooting at me. I remember hiding in the attic as she went around the house, firing through walls and ceilings screaming utterly horrible threats. I prayed to God with all my hope that she wouldn't find me. As if answering my prayer, police cars surrounded the house and I heard the blood curdling screams of Shaku as she was being dragged out of the house, no doubt unarmed and restrained. I stayed in my hiding spot for what seemed like ages until the head of a cop poked up into the attic. The lady urged me to leave and that everything was okay. Once we were outside, she made sure I wasn't injured and then we were shipped to the colonies for training. That was the last time I saw Shaku until all of us met up. She hadn't changed a bit."  
  
I gasped and laid a hand over my heart, feeling its beats racing. Poor Shorai, now I had even more admiration for her.  
*****  
Jaide's POV  
  
We changed the subject shortly after and continued our trip back to the colony. We had an hour to spend on doing practically nothing but....PAR-TAY!  
  
"Jaide? JAIDE! Will you take OFF that Hawaiian shirt and help us clean the shuttle! Thanks to your little episode with the burrito, we have Mexi-food all over the kitchen. NOW HELP CLEAN UP!" Adea went mad-chibi as she yelled in my ear.  
  
I grinned and set down the maracas that I held in my hand, reluctantly leaving them on the table to fill my hands with glass cleaner and paper towels.   
  
After taking the few short steps into the kitchen, I then noticed the huge mess the small meal made. Everything was charred and the microwave....no longer existed. I scratched my head and looked around dumbfounded. Everyone else was standing to the side, arms crossed, andshaking their heads. Rolling my eyes, I shredded my shirt off and started with the cabinets.  
  
"You know, it isn't my fault." I complained over my shoulder.  
  
Shorai walked up beside me, swiped a finger across the face of the cabinet next to the one I was standing at, and gasped in mock amazement at the trail of white showing through the soot. She then looked at the tip of her finger and faked crying. "Such a good burrito. Gone to waste and to Mexi-heaven. Now the microwave is a different story." She stopped down and picked up a piece of Gundalinum (a cross of Gundanium and aluminum) that was part of the face of the microwave and stood showing it to me. "Such a sad fate, don't you think?" She acted all sad, stumbling over to Kosen-teki and faked fainting into his arms, then magically waking up and whining about the microwave.  
  
Kosen-teki actually laughed. "See what you did? You killed the burrito! And Shorai's precious microwave! I should hurt you for that."  
*****  
  
Continued in Part Five- Crimson Blood [Is This Peace] 


	6. (5) Crimson Blood Spilled (Afterward, Ha...

Crimson Blood [Is This Peace]  
Jaide's POV  
*****  
  
Shorai walked up beside me, swiped a finger across the face of the cabinet next to the one I was standing at, and gasped in mock amazement at the trail of white showing through the soot. She then looked at the tip of her finger and faked crying. "Such a good burrito. Gone to waste and to Mexi-heaven. Now the microwave is a different story." She stopped down and picked up a piece of Gundalinum (a cross of Gundanium and aluminum) that was part of the face of the microwave and stood showing it to me. "Such a sad fate, don't you think?" She acted all sad, stumbling over to Kosen-teki and faked fainting into his arms, then magically waking up and whining about the microwave.  
  
Kosen-teki actually laughed. "See what you did? You killed the burrito! And Shorai's precious microwave! I should hurt you for that."  
  
Shorai spoke in a faint whisper. "Little Munch-Munch... my little Munch-Munch Microwave..."  
  
At that time, I could do nothing to help myself but double over in laughter. "L-little M-mun-munch Munch?!" I managed through hysterical giggles. "And I thought I was possessive!!!"  
  
By this time, Adea was slowly backing away from us while Kyoretsu fell down in laughter as well.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
Here I was, watching the whole group go insane. I raised an eyebrow in question, but decided against it. I turned and went to the cockpit to read. Humming to myself, I picked an operator's manual and plopped down in a high-backed chair. I kicked my feet up onto the control panel and crossed them at the ankles.  
  
I flipped the book open and paged through. I sighed and shook my head. The marks of Jaide. Little stick figures were drawn on the pages dancing around making faces. On one page, there was a "group" shot and fortunately, we were more than sticks. Jaide and I flashed peace signs at the "camera" and were grinning like identical idiots. Kyoretsu was standing behind us, giving us rabbit ears. Shorai was grinning at the little scene and Kosen-teki was sitting in the corner half glaring at us over the little rectangle glasses he always wears; Jaide must've messed his hair up because it was sticking abnormally out to one side.  
  
I couldn't help but laugh because underneath the picture scrawled in big fancy letters wrote: The Gang~ Friends to the Groosome End ^_^. How sweet. He spelled "gruesome" wrong.  
  
Flipping through the rest of the book, I found Kosen-teki's notes scribbled in his cramped handwriting, then next to it, Jaide's sloppy barely-readable chicken scratch poking fun at the comments of K-T.  
  
Suddenly a hand covered my eyes and an arm wrapped around my neck. "Guess who?"  
  
I growled and the grip around my neck loosened. I swiveled the chair around and my watch was tossed into my hands. "Kyo-chan! Did you fix it??"  
  
He nodded and sat in a chair a few feet away. "I replaced the wires you snapped but all it initially needed was a new numerical plate." He shrugged.   
  
Dumbfounded, I sat there and simply stared at him.  
  
As if reading my mind, he shrugged again. "I'm serious. You might just need to take better care of it."  
  
I was about to say something else when the rest of the gang came barreling into the cockpit laughing and shouting.  
*****  
Shorai's POV  
  
Insanity overtook the ship for a while until Adea nearly snapped after Jaide accidentally stepped on her watch. It didn't break, but it's the lack of thought that counts. She ran through the cockpit yelling and screaming Jaide's name as he took a turn and ran down the corridor.   
  
"JAIDE!!" In no time, she caught up to him, and probably would have pounded him if it hadn't been for a loud mechanical voice booming throughout the ship.  
  
"DOCKING. PLEASE BE SEATED."  
  
Reluctantly, Adea walked past him to sit in a seat a few yards away next to the drink bar. However, she couldn't complete this task without gruffly pushing Jaide into the wall. The rest of us sat down around her and braced ourselves for the docking.  
  
"Yay! We're home!" Jaide grinned dumbly. Adea sighed and shook her head.  
  
"Shorai and me are the ones who're s'posed to be saying that." She looked at me.  
  
"It's my home though, too!" He pouted and crossed his arms, but Adea just glared.  
  
I grinned. "Be nice, A. Besides, you're supposed to be proud that your watch didn't break. Moreover, just for future reference, 'Shorai and I'. Okay?"  
  
Kosen-teki slugged my shoulder lightly. "Hey, when'd you get all English Teacher? You know I'm failing English this marking period."  
  
Laughing, I returned the punch, harder. "Failing by whose standards?? You have an 89%! Besides, I hate English. It's just that my friends back home all loved it and would lecture me all the time."  
  
"...home..."  
  
We looked at the empty seat Kyoretsu was sitting at, then, confused for a moment, we looked around the room and saw him standing by the window, his hand placed gingerly on the glass. Adea stood and walked over to him, but before she managed to say anything, a small gasp escaped her lips. By then, I also saw what they saw. We hadn't been docked yet. Our ship hovered there, but the gates wouldn't open. I knew the reason: The colony was dead. Besides the lower two levels, the uppermost one was also gone. We maneuvered the ship over to a smaller manual docking station on the other side of the colony and walked into what was once called home.  
*****  
Kosen-teki's POV  
  
Whatever happened made me angry. All five public parks were trashed; the green grass, the tall trees, the flowerbeds, the benches, the people...everything gone or charred. Shorai gripped my arm in horror as we walked through the last park to check for survivors.  
  
"S-Shaku...Why? Why would she do this??" She whimpered in utter disbelief.  
  
I looked at her and faced her, taking her shoulders. "Even though she's your cousin, even though you believe you can do something to help her, you can't. Understand? There's NOTHING you can do for her now. She's paved her own path and she's not going to make another one." She didn't seem to want to listen, so she turned away from me and walked at a faster pace than the rest of us.  
  
Sighing, I started after her. Adea jogged up to me. "That was a little harsh, K-T. She won't want to risk disbelieving in her cousin. Know what I mean?"  
  
"I guess I don't..." I admitted.  
  
She nodded and thought for a minute. "Your grandmother, Relena, think of Shorai like her. Relena fought hard for what she believed in, especially when it came to something, or someone, she cared about."  
  
I nodded and sighed deeply. "I understand, but under these circumstances? Shorai's an orphan thanks to her cousin."  
  
Kyoretsu came up beside me. "But that's what makes her cousin so important to her. Shaku's the only one she has left. Shorai thinks, and will even try to convince herself that there's still a chance. She can't accept that there might not be."  
  
A shrill shriek kept me from replying. I saw Shorai had stopped ahead of us and stood there, motionless.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
"Shorai?" Kosen-teki questioned when he got near enough for her to hear. She still didn't move, but called back:  
  
"She's a horrible, horrible person."  
  
I peered down and Shorai's feet and saw what she meant. What Shaku had done to the people. At the base of a tree, was a person curled up and charred beyond recognition. The face seemed to gape at us, its mouth twisted open into an eternal scream of agony.  
  
Shorai's eyes watered but she said a prayer for the person without a break in her voice. However, on the closing line of "Amen", she turned to Kosen-teki and shook her head slowly. "Let's go, there's nothing left."   
  
"What about the others?? About Gramma and Gramps?" Jaide inquired as he looked hopefully to each one of us.  
  
I shook my head. "There's no way to know for sure. Shall we go, or camp here for the night? It's getting pretty dark."  
  
An exchange of glances happened for about five seconds. There was no unanimous answer, the others just stood there shuffling their feet and staring uncomfortably at the ground.  
  
"I say we go..." Shorai looked up after a long silence. "I want to know if the others are alright or not."  
  
A nod came from Kosen-teki and Kyoretsu. Jaide looked at me. "Maybe...but... What if we don't like what we see?"  
  
"We'll have to know some time."  
  
"Do we? I mean-"  
  
Kosen-teki cut him off. " Yes, unless you want your conscience to be overshadowed by the mystery whether your family is alive or not. Frankly, I don't take too kindly to that idea. I want to know what happened."  
*****  
Third Person POV  
  
The trek to the nearest working hatch to the tunnels that spanned to colony was a long and trying one. The group had met up with five hatches until they found one that worked. Noticing that night was nearing, the hatch was marked and they headed for a nearby less-singed park to camp in.  
  
"H-hey, guys?"  
  
"Hmn?"  
  
"Is it just me, or has it gotten a helluva lot colder since we left to look for Adea and Shorai?" Wrapping his arms around his shoulders, Jaide let out a shaky, cold breath.  
  
Kyoretsu sighed deeply through his mouth, watching the fog of his breath escape and swirl into the night sky. "Shaku did it after all..."  
  
Adea leaned close to Kyoretsu, curling up as tight as she could to stay warm. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
Kosen-teki cleared his throat. "Shaku promised she'd freeze the colony. Something about her heart being cold as well."  
  
"That sounds SO like her, the little satanic worshipper..." Shorai scoffed as she rested her head on Kosen-teki's shoulder. "I'm cold. Anyone have a lighter? There's plenty of crap to burn around here, you know."  
  
Her suddenly dark humor startled the group and everyone let out a small laugh. Kosen-teki smiled grimly. "She probably got too sick and tired of waiting and just decided to bomb the place instead of making it a winter wonderland."  
  
Adea let out a surprisingly loud laugh. "All of this grim joking is supposed to be my job! Ironic isn't it? Maybe she wanted US to freeze!! That's it. See? I have it all figured out." She stood and paced around to flex out her joints. She walked over to a corpse, grabbed its hand and dragged it back to the group. "Well? Bon appétit!"  
  
"Hopefully you mean 'bonfire'?" Jaide asked raising his eyebrow in question.  
  
She grinned.  
  
Kosen-teki stood to fish a lighter out of his jean pocket, and, sparking it to life, set the flame to a twig, tossing it onto the body. The body almost immediately caught fire, bringing warmth, but the rude stench of burning flesh as well.  
  
The group settled around the fire and fell asleep in wait of the new morning.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
I woke up early with a stiff neck, stiff back and my knee twisted funny. Nevertheless, for some reason, I couldn't complain. With the gradual loss of climate control, the earth and sun became more visible. So, I swung myself up into a bare tree and scrambled skyward until the branches started to give slightly underneath my feet. Leaning back against the trunk, I wiggled into a comfortable position and pulled out an audio player that I picked up in the shuttle. I smiled slightly as my favorite band began to play. I listened to the music and watched intently as the darkness was chased away by the light on the earth. In a small amount of time, the sun's rays broke through the chilled atmosphere on the colony and gently basked it in a honey-colored glow.  
  
I found myself singing along with another song in a lower, but harmonic key. "Don'cha know, know, know...It's love..."  
  
An amused laugh brought me back to reality. "Yeah I do, I think ya love the earth too much. I've been standing here for the past twenty minutes and you never noticed me."  
  
I looked down to see Kyoretsu standing there with his arms crossed tightly and his jaw chattered slightly as he spoke. "How can you love a place that you've never been to?"  
  
"I...I dunno. I guess it's just from what people told me about it. I guess I just want to live there instead of being on a dead colony."  
  
He looked hurt. "So you don't like being here? You don't love me?"  
  
I laughed so suddenly I almost fell out of the tree. I could tell he was barely retaining a straight face.  
  
"Adea!!"  
  
This time I did fall. On my way down, a free hand luckily caught a branch. Still laughing, I managed a response. "No, you're a cruel, cruel person!"  
  
Thankfully, my sarcasm went noticed and he laughed as well.  
  
"Hey, A!" Shorai yawned as she walked toward the tree I was hanging out of.  
  
"Sho-chan! Wassup? Have a good night's sleep? K-T seemed to make a nice pillow for you." I grinned and landed on the branch below me, then trotted down the rest of the way.  
  
By the time I reached the ground, Shorai was blushing profusely. "That's none of your business."  
  
I smiled. "So? Are you gonna tell me or not??"  
  
She gasped and swatted at me. "Nosy!"  
*****  
Jaide's POV  
  
After I was forced awake out of a dream of cranberry pudding, we gathered up what we had and left our camp to explore. The hatch led straight to the main section of the base. All that should have been awaiting our return was gone. K-T rummaged through a pile of papers then turned back toward us.  
  
"Nothing." He shrugged. "It's sad, but this is all that's left."  
  
Hearing his nonchalant attitude made me mad. "That can't just be it. There's gotta be SOMETHING!" I emphasized the last word by throwing my hands into the air. I started to head in the direction of the offices when Adea grabbed my wrist.   
  
"You take the other wing, Sho' and I will take this one. Kosen-teki will head for the east wing and Kyoretsu takes the northwest wing. If any of you find anything substantial, I think we could all be able to fix the intercom, so just buzz the whole building and give your location. We'll be there in five minutes. Got it?"  
  
The choruses of yes were like a starting gun to race. All at once, we headed for our designated wings.  
*****  
Kyoretsu's POV  
  
I started pacing down the charred hallway, overstepping bricks and support beams that had fallen. Straining my ears, I thought I could barely hear some noise farther down the corridor. Taking my time as to not miss any detail, but also keeping my mind on the sound, I sang one of my favorite early-age songs. When I was little, my mother used to sing Maaya Sakamoto to me. Sakamoto-chan was one of the best singers a long time ago. Now, most of her songs had been remixed and such, but the original is always better. My mom had something that people called CD players a while back. She gave it to me as well as a few of Sakamoto-chan's CDs.  
  
"...mado kara sasu hizashi wa atarashii hajimari sa ..chigau yo tada no getsuyou no asa ..itsumo no kurikaeshi..." I sang softly to myself. I loved this song. It seemed too ironic to me, and it rather left me with a sense to try at whatever I'm afraid of.  
  
[Line translates to: The sunlight shining through the window is a new beginning. No it's not, it's just Monday morning. It's just a repeat of the same old thing.]   
  
I followed the halls until the noise got louder. I saw a faint glow of light coming from a room not too far ahead and when I trotted in, the place was trashed. The sound that echoed through the halls was of the video chips of Shaku bombing the room and the colony. On the screen of the monitor was a gut-wrenching clip of her staring straight into the camera saying:  
  
"Hello pilots. If you ever do manage to find the two bitches out in space, and moreover, you manage to make it back here; I must admit, I'm impressed. However, if you manage to make it out of here alive, rest assured, you wont last much longer. As for the old fools...pray that you see them alive as well."  
  
I growled and picked up the receiver for the intercom and, after tweaking a few wires, had it buzz to life.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
"Pilots, I have found something. However, it is nothing substantial as to the location of the Gundam pilots and crew. I suspect they are with Shaku, but keep searching."  
  
Kyoretsu's voice snapped me back into reality and I set down the pictures of my grandfather that I found on the table. Shorai jogged over to me from the room across the hall, her arms filled with a huge time detonation system. "Adea, there's something wrong here." She set the system down at my feet.  
  
I looked up at her as I knelt down to inspect the system's wires. "It looks fine to me..."  
  
"If that thing were to have gone off, it and the whole base would be gone." She pointed to the explosion radius- 950 square yards from system.  
  
"You're pointing something new out?" I raised an eyebrow.  
  
She growled and her finger moved slightly to the left. "Adea, look. There is Shaku's symbol. Like OZ or Romafellar, she leaves her mark everywhere to let people know that Shaku's troops killed so many!"  
  
Staring at her made it obvious that I didn't quite understand.  
  
"It's gonna detonate any time now! We have to get the HELL out of here."  
  
"Ho-ly...shit...." I swallowed and dashed out of the room, yanking Shorai behind me. I concentrated and sent a message to everyone else through my mind. Grab whatever you have nearby and high-tail it out of here. Shaku's got another explosive in the office wing. I'm not sure if there are any others. To be safe, get to level 5 immediately!  
  
We all met outside and had barely set foot in level 3 before we were knocked off our feet from an incredible tremor that shook the colony.  
*****  
Kosen-teki's POV  
  
After everything had settled we took everything that we had brought and spread it out on the ground. Jaide had brought documents, Kyoretsu; video chips, Adea and Shorai; photos, and I with audio clips and a few papers.  
  
We sat down around a fire that we had made and started a little show-and-tell-type presenting. We told where we found it and what we think the importance of it is. Jaide volunteered to go first. His find was simply the plans and lay out of the colony. Seeing that they were of little importance, we decided to allow him to imagine what they might be for.  
  
"Well...Shaku could have used them to plot where to set the systems. Maybe she wanted to know the best coffee shops. I bet she hates coffee, I bet she wanted to make us suffer by destroying all the coffee shops, but ended up having to freeze the colony instead because the shops kept coming back like a bad virus!" He looked around at us with wide, child-like eyes that sparkled like aquamarines.  
  
Adea laughed heartily. "You do have an underlying point there, Jaide. Maybe she used those plans to set bombs and traps." She pointed to the photos. "These are just for keep-sake. The whole thing is a photo album of the original pilots and their Gundam and designs. Useful?"  
  
Shorai jumped in. "We believe so because of the strategies used to create the Gundams. This could be very helpful to Shaku if she wanted to create stronger mobile suits. So, just to be safe..." She gathered the pictures and held them near the fire.  
  
I thought a little and remembered Adea's watch. "Wait, have Adea log in and save the documents to her watch's data file. Then burn them."  
  
Jaide and Shorai both entered in the data, then tossed the materials into the flames.  
  
Kyoretsu looked at his video chips. "We don't have a player..."  
  
Adea took her watch off and tossed to Kyoretsu. "Green button opens the compartment, green closes, wait for it to register, green again to play. It's a hologram projection so set it on the ground when you finish."  
  
The projection was incredibly brutal, even for me. We watched people being torched, beaten and killed. "This is what I saw, I watched most of it, and it gave no clue as to the others' location." Jaide explained as he handed the watch back to Adea.  
  
I handed my audio clips to Adea. "Play them."  
  
The clips were the size of sticks of gum, but could hold thousands of pieces of data. Hours of recording time at the least. She easily set the audio up and pulled out the headphones from her CD player that had been stashed in the cargo pocket of her pants. Everything had been hushed.   
  
At first, there was nothing but very harsh static. Then there were loud footsteps and heavy breathing then the distinct voice of Heero Yuy. "Pilots, by the time you receive this, we will no longer be on the colony. I assure you that Shaku is the one who caused this destruction but we will not allow ourselves to be finished by the likes of a child. After listening to this message, the others and I will be stationed on Earth. Please follow the instructions with the hologram data encoded into this chip. We shall meet again at EBNOH."  
  
"Ebnoh?" Shorai looked at me.  
  
"Earth Based Neo-Operation Headquarters." I quickly answered. She nodded. "They developed it fifteen years ago with the best technology available. It was developed in case something like this happened."  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
After watching the directions, we went back to the shuttle and left. The estimated trip was a day seventeen hours...God help me. Sorry for being sarcastic, but the only good thing to do was sleep. After all, the kitchen was gone. Only foods that didn't perish in the explosion were cereal, white uncooked rice, and...cereal. We've been on the trip for three hours already and everyone's bored. Kyoretsu was arguing with Kosen-teki before we got started. The problem was how we would get to Earth. We only had a certain amount of fuel and no money, so Kosen-teki thought the best way was to take it slow and kind of float to Earth only using short bursts of speed to regain the correct sense of direction. Kyoretsu argued that we could sell some stuff at the nearest colony to get more fuel and use the fuel to make sure we land at the port that we were supposed to. The squabbling died down once Shorai and I broke the two up and we were on our way. Unfortunately, boredom was our only traveling companion....  
  
Jaide suddenly popped up with an idea. "Hey! Adea! Play chess with me! We could have a tournament; the winner gets the box of Oreo O's."  
  
Shorai laughed. "I'll play winner."  
  
I grinned. "I can't play, so go on ahead."  
  
She smiled and sat down in the chair opposite Jaide. I smiled and left them to their game.  
  
My bunk on the shuttle was a small cot above Kyoretsu's cot. I had many books, games, and multimedia scattered on my bed. Hoisting myself up onto the cot, I cleared away enough junk so I could sit down. I picked up my journal and started to write about the past two days. I noted the bunking arrangement had been done with straws and strangely, everyone was happy with the deal. Jaide got his own bunk, Shorai shared a bunk with Kosen-teki and I shared one with Kyoretsu. I wrote about how Shorai was planning all the fun stuff we could do while we were on Earth like going to beaches and carnivals, which I only knew of the latter. She hadn't been to Earth for any extended period of time, none of us had, so this was a special and rare treat. She was doing nothing but planning. I think she even had a list.  
  
I smiled to myself as I re-read what I wrote and decided to go back to the living quarters to watch whatever was happening.  
*****  
Kyoretsu's POV  
  
I'd been watching the 'tournament' for about an hour or so when Adea finally came out of her cubby to join us. Shorai had easily beaten Jaide when I stepped in to play. She'd beaten me with luck, to that I swear. Afterward, Kosen-teki choiced to 'battle' her in her undefeated chess streak. That's where the battle had really started, and after three tied games, is still continuing.  
  
I munched on some chips barely paying any attention to the game. I watched Adea as she sat down at the bar and took out a soda from the cooler. She tapped the tab once with her nail then snapped it open.   
  
"Do you want a soda or something?" Her question made me realize that I had been staring.  
  
I diverted my eyes to the tabletop and shook my head. "No thanks."  
  
She stood, walked over to me and sat down in the chair beside mine. "Who's winning?"  
  
"Shorai and Kosen-teki have had three tied games and I think this is their fourth. I'm not too sure who's going to win, but I'm rooting for K-T." I grinned.  
  
Adea smiled, then laughed. "Well then I guess I'll have to vote for Shorai. And as a matter of fact, I'll put a bet on her too." She reached into her trench coat pocket and pulled out four credit chips. I noticed two had a 7,000 credit limit. She placed them down in front of me. "Well? A total of about 30,000 credit bits should be a good bet. Are you willing to place anything?"  
  
I sighed. "Adea, that's a LOT of money, are you sure you're willing to put that much down??"  
  
"Of course! Besides, I want to see how good you are at placing bets."  
  
"Money shouldn't just be wasted on a bet, you know." I looked up at her seriously.  
  
She winked and laughed. "It won't be wasted because I know I'll win!!"  
  
"I see what you're trying to do, but it won't work, I'll win so..." I pulled out my wallet and slapped fourteen credit chips onto the table, "I'll put down 200,000 credit bits."  
  
Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. "You are NUTS!" She held back laughter as she placed a few more credit chips on the table. "Make it 500,000 bits. I have faith in Shorai that she'll win."  
  
We both continued placing and rearranging our bets, and near the betting spree we had gotten down to betting what was simply around us because we had already placed all of our money on the line. Adea had bet the "guaranteed" big screen TV that she was insisting was at EBNOH. I, however, since I was more sensible, bet my whole audio chip collection. That was over 500 clips and most of them, Adea seemed to like.  
  
But.....  
  
We fought and fought and fought as we placed more and more bets. What Adea and I failed to realize was that the game had LONG since ended and the two competitors were quietly talking as they read the news and sipped at steaming hot tea.  
*****  
Shorai's POV  
  
Yes, I knew Kyoretsu and Adea had been placing bets on the chess match, and for a little while I was flattered. Then amusement overtook flattery. Kosen-teki and I had been done with the game for about an hour when other two figured out that we weren't playing any more. Within seconds of realization, both of them had rushed to our side, begging to know who won.  
  
"Please, please, please, please, please??" Shouted Adea over Kyoretsu's calls of:  
  
"I bet all of the stuff I own, we gotta know who won!"   
  
Kosen-teki and I exchanged amused glances and we both knew to keep our mouths shut. To them anyway...  
  
"That was a good game, Shorai-chan. I would have never guessed you would be able to play so well. Maybe we could play again sometime." He smiled warmly, his eyes sparkling.  
  
I eagerly returned his smile and nodded. "I was expecting Kyoretsu to be a challenge, but he was a fly beneath a swatter."  
  
"HEY!!!" Came his reply, which went ignored.  
  
Kosen-teki laughed and sipped at his tea. "Believe it or not, Heero taught me. He learned from Relena-sama. And I think Grandmother was born a champion. She led the world to a period of peace, and it's sad that now that period has been broken. But now it seems like this is what peace feels like, but I have to ask myself, 'Is this peace?' Even this temporary moment in which we aren't fighting, if we just extend it for a month, a year, maybe a decade...Is it really peace?"  
  
"You sound a lot like her. You have many of her beliefs, despite your name." I sighed. "I miss Mom. I miss my whole family. And I hate feeling like the victim all of the time..."  
  
I looked up at him in surprise when he took my hand and spoke. "You *are* a victim. You've lost your family, that's horrible. But Shaku is the real victim because she's hurt you. I won't stand for that, but she's the victim because she's missed out on a real life. You have a life, you have friends."  
  
"I have you." I smiled and he nodded.  
*****  
Adea's POV  
  
Awww! I could tell something was going on between the two. God, where's a camera when you need it?? I laughed inwardly. Shorai had a dazed look in her eyes and Kosen-teki was holding her hand and smiling at her. So sweet!  
  
But I still wanted to know who won the chess match. I smiled and led Kyoretsu out of the room to help me find Jaide. The fact that I hadn't seen Jaide for the whole duration of the main flight made me a little cautious. Kyoretsu couldn't help but make me feel like an idiot, but what could I possibly say? Jaide was a creature of mischief.  
  
"I think he can very well take care of himself, Adea."  
  
"But it's the taking care about others that has me worried. For all we know, that critter could be eating the rest of our food." I shrugged as I peeked around every corner so as not to scare the inhabitant of the spaceship.  
  
As we rounded the corner to the bunks, we found him.   
  
A smile from ear to ear crossed Kyoretsu's face. "He's sleeping. How expected."  
  
Laughing slightly, I stepped near Jaide and pulled the box of corn flakes out of his arm and brushed a few of the flakes off of his shirt. "I guess he ate too much. At least we know now that he'll be snoozing for most of the trip-"  
  
A small moan and a wave of the arm from our bedridden friend cut me off in mid-sentence. "Tha'z what you think..." Yawning rather loudly, he turned and rolled off the bed, flomping onto the floor and crushing the box of cereal I had recently set there. "I half heard everything and was-" Another yawn made him halt what he was saying, "I guess," yawn, "I fell asleep after watching a rather interesting documentation on the theories of early space travel in which rockets were shot up into the atmosphere until they broke through into a world with zero gravitational force..."  
  
"Huh...?"  
  
Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with the back of his hand, Jaide finally sat up from his position on the floor and grinned at us. "Chickens can fly, but then they smash the fence."  
  
Kyoretsu and I exchanged glances of confusion until I came to a slight understanding and whispered my thought into his ear. "It must just be a temporary state of semi-consciousness in which he's actually portrayed as an intelligent being." I crossed my arms in amusement as I watched Jaide cluck and flap his arms like a chicken a few times to give us a good reason that we should've locked him up long ago.  
  
"In other words, he's smarter when he's asleep?"  
  
"Indefinitely." I grinned. "It's almost sad. He's actually smart."  
  
Jaide whined when he figured out we were talking about him. I took him by the wrist, pulled him to his feet and led him to the main room where Shorai and Kosen-teki had been playing chess. When we got there, they were playing chess once again, only the atmosphere seemed more relaxed. Jaide galloped up to them with a curious look on his crumb-covered face.  
  
In a small childish voice he questioned the two at the table, "Why are you still playing?"  
  
Shorai laughed and mussed his hair. "We stopped and we started another game about five minutes ago."  
  
"Ohhhh...OTAY!" He dashed off to find more food.  
  
I walked up to the table and placed a hand on the surface, tapping my nails on the stainless steel rhythmically. "So...who won that tournament?"  
*****  
  
Continued in Part Six- EBNOH and Paradise [Will It Last]  



End file.
